Fire crews swiftly responded to a brush fire that broke out on Monday night near Auto Center Drive in Ventura. The fire was first reported at approximately 6:50 p.m. in the Santa Clara River bottom, an area situated between Ventura and Oxnard, coinciding with the strong Santa Ana winds that swept through the region.
By Tuesday morning, the fire, known as the Auto Fire, spanned 56 acres and had been successfully contained at 100%, according to Cal Fire. Firefighters, supported by about six pieces of equipment, remained on-site to ensure thorough mop-up operations. Just before midnight on Monday, officials confirmed that the forward progress of the fire had been halted. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, as stated by Andrew Dowd, a spokesperson for the Ventura County Fire Department.
While an evacuation order was issued at around 9:30 p.m. for the Santa Clara River area between the 101 Freeway and Victoria Avenue, no residential structures were evacuated. This action was taken due to the presence of homeless encampments along the riverbed and the surrounding commercial businesses. Dowd noted that the fire’s location within the river bottom meant it did not threaten any structures.
Throughout the night, firefighters worked diligently to extinguish the blaze, particularly focusing on areas dense with brush and arundo, a type of thick grass. Initial reports indicated that the fire quickly expanded to about 5 acres, prompting a rapid response from ground crews and helicopters, including water drops to combat the flames. Notably, the fire briefly reached the River Ridge Golf Club across the river in Oxnard, leading the course superintendent to activate sprinklers to safeguard the area.
As the situation unfolded, traffic was impacted along Victoria Avenue, which connects Ventura and Oxnard, as bystanders gathered and interfered with response efforts. At 9:30 p.m., approximately 100 firefighters were engaged in battling the blaze, which had by then grown to about 10 acres.
In a related incident on the same evening, a second fire dubbed the Royal Fire ignited in Simi Valley, near Darrah Volunteer Park and the Arroyo Simi Equestrian Center, but it was quickly contained to about one acre.
The fires coincided with the onset of extreme fire weather conditions in Ventura County, with the National Weather Service issuing a “particularly dangerous situation” (PDS) red flag warning from 4 a.m. Tuesday through noon Wednesday. This warning designation has been utilized sparingly since its introduction in 2020 and has been previously issued during other significant fire events in the region.
As the community continues to face challenging fire weather conditions, the prompt response by firefighters showcases their commitment to protecting the area and keeping residents safe. There is hope that no further incidents will arise as crews remain vigilant during these particularly hazardous conditions.