Photos From A Major Brush Fire In Ventura County

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Another awesome set of photos from Juan Guerra has been posted, http://www.lafirephotos.com

http://lafirephotos.com/Photos/thumbnails.php?album=18

Wildfire Threatens Homes In Ventura County

(AP) MOORPARK, Calif. A fire driven by strong Santa Ana winds threatened

hundreds of homes Sunday as wary residents, some armed with garden hoses,

watched flames race through canyons and over hillsides.

The blaze, estimated at 1,000 acres, began at 2:30 a.m. and burned through

heavy brush, eucalyptus groves and orchards in the northwest section of

Moorpark. Fire officials called for voluntary evacuations as hundreds of

residents began packing up valuables while dozens of trailers used to

transport livestock were lined up on a road.

"The sheriff's said if you see flames, leave," said Dave Hare, who was at a

home on the site of a recycling business he owns. Although Hare's friend

soaked his roof with water, "I told him just forget it and get out of

there," he said.

No homes were damaged, although the fire was close to some homes and a golf

course. Several hundred firefighters were hampered by 70 mph winds that were

expected to last through the end of Sunday. Water-dropping helicopters also

were used.

"The fire is burning around homes right now," said Ventura County Fire Capt.

Barry Parker. "It's smoky, it's dusty and it's hard to breathe."

There was no containment figures and no injuries were reported. A fire

engine belonging to the California Department of Forestry tipped over during

the initial response, but three firefighters aboard were not injured. The

driver of the engine apparently got too close to the edge of the road to

allow a car to go by when the accident occurred, said T.T. Uhrich, a

spokesman with the California Highway Patrol.

Another blaze began about 7 a.m. near Moorpark, but fire officials later

classified both fires as a single blaze known as the Sheckell incident,

although they were a couple of miles apart, authorities said. A third fire

burned south of Camarillo and was expected to be contained at 30 acres,

authorities said.

In Riverside County, firefighters gained control of a wildfire that burned

100 acres of hillside brush. The fire, which began late Saturday near a high

school in Norco, was fanned by strong winds and caused one minor injury to a

firefighter.

The cause of all the fires was under investigation.

(© 2006 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be

published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Moorpark Fire Destroys 2 Homes, Endangers Others

(CBS) MOORPARK, Calif. Fires driven by strong Santa Ana winds Sunday

destroyed two homes and a storage building and endangered hundreds of others

in canyons and hillsides, authorities said.

Fire officials called for voluntary evacuations in Ventura County.

A fire that started around 7 a.m. destroyed the homes and the building

containing farm equipment. The blaze as well as another, which began around

2:30 a.m., had scorched about 2,000 acres, or three square miles, said Capt.

Ron Nelson of the Ventura County sheriff's department.

Roughly 70 mph winds hampered several hundred firefighters, and were

expected to continue blowing through the end of Sunday. Water-dropping

helicopters also were used.

"We are in a structure protection mode," Ventura County Fire Capt. Barry

Parker said. "It's smoky, it's dusty and it's hard to breathe."

There were no containment figures and no injuries reported.

Elsewhere, a third fire had burned up 30 acres, authorities said.

The cause of the fires was under investigation.

Moorpark is about 29 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

A 1500 acre brush fire continues to burn out of control in the community of

Moorpark, (Ventura County) California. The brush fire erupted around 0230

hours PST this morning. The Ventura County Fire Department has 600+

firefighting and command personnel on scene. This includes mutual aid from

various agencies including Ventura City, Oxnard, California Department of

Forestry, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles City and Federal Fire of Ventura

County.

There are 3000 homes in the path of this fire.

Santa Anna winds are blowing in the county. Winds gusting up to 70 MPH.