BLAZE THREATENS VENTURA HOMES.Byline: Staff and Wire Services As Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, remained under a red-flag warning, firefighters on Friday battled a wind-whipped wildfire that charred more than 4,000 acres and threatened hundreds of homes near Ventura. About 1,200 firefighters from around the state worked the late-season blaze, first reported about 3:30 a.m. in School Canyon, a rugged area between Ventura and Ojai. Despite efforts by air and ground crews, flames had consumed more than 4,000 acres by sundown, and firefighters feared that winds would intensify at night. ``This is a wind-driven fire, and the winds are out of control,'' Ventura County Fire Department Not to be confused with Ventura Fire Department. The Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) provides fire protection and emergency response services for the unincorporated areas of Ventura County, California, and for six other cities within the county. spokesman Joe Luna said. ``The fire's been right up to backyards. We had hundreds of homes threatened. If the winds change and push the fires down the canyons again, we could have another battle.'' Two nearby schools were closed and two American Red Cross American Red Cross: see Red Cross. shelters opened to assist evacuees Resident or transient persons who have been ordered or authorized to move by competent authorities, and whose movement and accommodation are planned, organized and controlled by such authorities. . Besides homes, the hills in the area also have a number of oil pumps. Although the cause of the fire was under investigation, it started in ``the area of an oil field facility,'' according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Ventura County Fire spokeswoman Rose Rigalado. About 1,000 firefighters and other personnel were at the scene, using bulldozers, water-dropping helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft "Airplane" and "Aeroplane" redirect here. For other uses, see Airplane (disambiguation). A fixed-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air craft where movement of the wings in relation to the aircraft is not used to generate lift. in their effort to stop the blaze. One firefighter suffered minor injuries. Jerry Swenson, head of maintenance at Harbor View Villas, a 90-unit apartment complex on Kalorama Street in Ventura, commended fire crews for their efforts. ``The firefighters had this area soaked like it was a rainstorm. It was really amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. how they handled it. If it weren't for the fire department, this whole area would be gone. But the wind is so unpredictable, you've got to be worried.'' A number of people in the complex had their cars packed with belongings and ready to evacuate, and others already had left. The entire neighborhood was closed to vehicle traffic, so people were forced to bring their belongings down on foot. Larry Heron, a hillside resident, said the neighborhood would have been destroyed if not for the firefighters who arrived before dawn Friday. ``Those helicopter guys are just amazing,'' he said. ``These guys don't get paid enough. They definitely saved the neighborhood.'' Most of Southern California was under a red-flag warning, which advises of warm, windy and dry conditions that could lead to explosive fire growth. The National Weather Service cautioned that winds would continue in the area through early Sunday, at 15 to 25 mph with isolated gusts near 35 mph. Officials had feared a disastrous wildfire season because of the heavy underbrush caused by the near-record rainfall last winter. In late September, Santa Ana winds Santa Ana Winds may refer to: 1. Santa Ana wind, a local Southern California reference to Föhn winds, a meteorological phenomenon occurring as a layer of wind is forced over a mountain range -- drying the air -- which then passes over the crest and begins to move downslope -- propelled the Topanga Fire that charred more than 16,000 acres and forced thousands of residents to flee the West San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . Miraculously, only two homes were destroyed, and firefighters credited brush-clearance efforts. CAPTION(S): 2 photos, map Photo: (1) Albert Deluna of Camarillo fishes from the Ventura Pier as 4,000 acres in the hills above the city burn on Friday. (2) Firefighters watch as flames approach houses on Gilliard Lane in Ventura on Friday. The crews saved the homes. Michael Owen
Map: School Canyon Road Fire Daily News |
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