Firefighters responded to a significant brush fire near Auto Center Drive in Ventura on Monday night. The incident was reported around 6:50 p.m. in the Santa Clara River bottom, as Santa Ana winds intensified across the region.
By Tuesday morning, the fire, dubbed the Auto Fire, had expanded to nearly 56 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. As of 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, it was approximately 25% contained, although earlier reports had provided inaccurate containment numbers. The forward progression of the fire was halted shortly before midnight, though the cause is still under investigation.
Despite the rapid growth of the fire, it did not pose a threat to any structures due to its location within the river bottom. However, an evacuation order was issued for the Santa Clara River area between the 101 Freeway and Victoria Avenue for precautionary reasons, with no residential evacuations necessary.
The fire’s proximity to homeless encampments and nearby commercial businesses prompted firefighters to work diligently overnight, addressing the challenging terrain filled with dense brush and a type of grass known as arundo. Firefighter Andrew Dowd commented on the challenging conditions, stating that extinguishing certain hot spots would be a long and intensive process.
Initial reports suggested that the fire had spread to around 5 acres within an hour of its start. Ground crews and helicopters rapidly responded, conducting water drops to contain the flames. As the situation escalated, the fire reached into the adjacent River Ridge Golf Club in Oxnard, prompting the course superintendent to activate sprinklers as a precaution.
By 9:30 p.m., around 100 firefighters were on the scene, battling a blaze that had grown to 10 acres. Traffic along Victoria Avenue was disrupted as onlookers congested the area, complicating access for emergency crews.
In a related incident, a smaller fire known as the Royal Fire ignited in Simi Valley near Darrah Volunteer Park and was quickly contained to about an acre.
These fires occurred as Ventura County faced extreme fire danger, marked by a “particularly dangerous situation” (PDS) red flag warning from the National Weather Service, which started early Tuesday morning. This designation indicates heightened risks for significant fire outbreaks and is issued infrequently.
The community’s swift response and the mobilization of firefighters showcased their commitment to safety and effective fire management. With forecasts indicating challenging conditions, authorities and residents must remain vigilant as they navigate this period of heightened fire risk.