On Monday night, evacuation warnings were broadened to include areas in Los Angeles County as the Sandy Fire, which remains uncontained, rapidly spread.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department issued these expanded warnings for regions surrounding Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Lake Manor, and the Woolsey area. Firefighters are vigilantly monitoring the blaze’s progress along the border separating Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
The latest areas under threat have a history with wildfires, having been severely affected by the 2018 Woolsey Fire, which devastated over 1,600 structures across both Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Despite being part of the Woolsey Fire’s burn scar, the natural landscape has rebounded over the years, with lush grasses, shrubs, and other vegetation flourishing once more on the hillsides and in the canyons.
Officials are advising residents in these areas to be proactive and ready to evacuate should the situation deteriorate.
Authorities emphasized the importance of timely evacuation for those who need extra time to leave, as well as for residents with pets and livestock, urging them to start moving immediately.
The Sandy Fire erupted before 11 a.m. Monday near the 600 block of Sandy Avenue in Simi Valley and quickly exploded under dangerous weather conditions.
By Monday evening, the fire had grown to 1,364 acres with 0% containment, according to CAL FIRE.
At least one home and another structure have already been damaged.
Dry Santa Ana winds with gusts reaching up to 40 mph helped drive the fire’s spread.
Conditions are expected to shift to onshore winds tonight, though forecasters warn warm and dry weather will continue into Tuesday.
“Warm temperatures, low afternoon humidity, and terrain-driven winds continue to challenge containment efforts, pushing fire activity toward the southeast,” CAL FIRE reported Monday evening. Officials warned that down-canyon winds were expected to keep the fire active along the southeastern edge into the night.
Roughly 500 firefighters continued battling the blaze from the air and on the ground Monday night as Los Angeles County strike teams joined suppression efforts.
More than 28,600 people remained under evacuation orders, according to county officials.
An emergency shelter is open for overnight stay at the Rancho Santa Susana Community Park and a large animal shelter for horses and livestock is open at the Los Angeles Pierce College, per the Ventura County Emergency Incident Dashboard.
