California wildfires in Simi Valley and Santa Rosa Island seen from space
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- The Sandy Fire began on Monday morning in Simi Valley, northwest of Los Angeles, reportedly sparked by an individual hitting a rock with a tractor, and has since spread over 1,364 acres with no containment achieved.
- Approximately 750 firefighters, supported by night-flying water-dropping helicopters, are actively combating the fire, which has led to the evacuation of more than 10,000 homes in Simi Valley and nearby areas.
- High winds contributed to the rapid spread of the fire on Monday morning, though conditions eased later; officials do not expect the blaze to reach Los Angeles city but have issued precautionary warnings.
- The Simi Valley Unified School District canceled classes on Tuesday due to the fire, which recalls the devastating January 2025 fires that killed around 30 people and destroyed over 10,000 homes in the Los Angeles area.
- Separately, a fire on Santa Rosa Island in the Channel Islands National Park has burned 14,600 acres since Friday, with at least 70 firefighters and park rangers battling the blaze and a 67-year-old man rescued by the US Coast Guard.