Fire crews actively responded to a brush fire that ignited on Monday night near Auto Center Drive in Ventura, fueled by gusty Santa Ana winds. The blaze, reported around 6:50 p.m. in the Santa Clara River bottom—situated between Ventura and Oxnard—prompted a quick mobilization of resources.
By Tuesday morning, the fire, dubbed the Auto Fire, had burned approximately 56 acres and was declared 100% contained by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Crews, along with several pieces of equipment, remained on-site to perform mopping-up operations. Initially, the fire expanded rapidly, covering about 5 acres within the first hour, but firefighters, including air support, successfully halted its forward progress shortly after midnight.
Despite the fire’s intensity, firefighter Andrew Dowd noted that the blaze did not threaten any structures, primarily due to its location within the riverbed. An evacuation order was issued around 9:30 p.m. for the Santa Clara River area between the 101 Freeway and Victoria Avenue, but no residential evacuations were necessary. The area is known for its homeless encampments and surrounding commercial businesses.
More than 100 firefighters were deployed to combat the blaze, which at one point encroached the River Ridge Golf Club. Operations included water drops from helicopters, illustrating the urgency of the situation. Traffic along Victoria Avenue also faced disruptions due to onlookers, complicating access for emergency crews.
In a related incident, a smaller fire known as the Royal Fire broke out around the same time in Simi Valley, near Darrah Volunteer Park. Fortunately, that fire was contained to about an acre.
These incidents arose as Ventura County faced critical fire weather conditions marked by a “particularly dangerous situation” red flag warning, which began on Tuesday morning and is expected to continue through Wednesday noon. This warning has been issued sparingly in recent years, coinciding with notable fire events in the region, including the Mountain Fire and the Franklin Fire.
In summary, the swift response and containment efforts of the fire crews helped avert larger threats to nearby communities, demonstrating the effectiveness of emergency preparedness strategies. As fire officials continue to address the aftereffects, vigilance during this high-risk season remains crucial to protect lives and property.