Thousands flee fast moving blaze as it ravages Ventura County
Driven by 60 mph winds, a brush fire that started late Dec. 4 in the Santa Paula area grew to 45,000 acres and destroyed 150 structures in Ventura County, including parts of the Ventura Harbor.
Mandatory evacuations were ordered for nearly 8,000 homes in parts of Ventura, Santa Paula and Ojai, and road closures were instituted for sections of Highways 33 and 150.
More than 27,000 people evacuated, and Southern California Edison reported that approximately 180,000 homes were affected by a power outage that lasted from around 9:30 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Ventura Unified School District ordered a school closure Dec. 5.
More than 1,000 firefighters battled the blaze overnight, which was zero percent contained as of 11 a.m. Dec. 5.
• Contact Marissa Nall at mnall@pacbiztimes.com.
