Uncontrolled California fire destroys more than 100 homes in just two days

The fire that started early Wednesday morning continues unchecked in Southern California. In just two days, it has razed more than 20,000 acres and destroyed at least 132 structures, most of them homes. Another 88 homes have suffered varying degrees of damage. Hundreds of firefighters continue to battle the blaze while evacuation orders have been issued for thousands of the more than 30,000 residents in the area.

Although the causes of the fire are not yet known, it is known that it started in Ventura County, north of Los Angeles. According to authorities, only 5% of the fire has been brought under control, mainly due to strong winds, which are expected to begin to subside in the next few hours.

More than 14,000 people have been ordered to evacuate

As reported by AFP, Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said that more than 14,000 residents received evacuation orders or warnings mainly in the towns of Camarillo, Somis and Moorpark. It is not ruled out that other neighbors in the area will receive similar indications in the coming hours.

Fryhoff lamented that although at least 400 homes were vacated, 250 residents had opted to stay. "We know it's a painful time," he said. "The fire is substantially dangerous," the official added, while insisting on the need to obey evacuation orders. "This fire is very active and unpredictable, we have a lot of resources in action, and we want to have assurances that everyone is safe as they move for shelter," he commented.

Firefighters without water to fight the blaze

Firefighters dropped water from helicopters throughout the night, and several crews are trying to contain the blaze on the ground. However, strong winds and low humidity complicate the situation. To make matters worse, the water began to fail in the early morning, according to Ventura Fire Chief Dustin Gardner. "We've battled the fire for 26 hours, and we put all these trucks on hydrants, and drained the water supplies," Gardner told reporters. The official clarified that while it is not common, it is not unusual: "We are prepared for this, so it impacts us but we will mitigate it," he added.

The fire also caused some 70,000 people in the region to be without power due to preemptive outages, according to utility provider Southland. The measure is customary during fires to avoid further flares with downed poles.

Gavin Newsom visits the area and promises additional resources

The California government guaranteed additional resources and positioned crews in 19 counties in the state in anticipation of warnings of weather conditions conducive to dangerous wildfires in many coastal and inland areas of the state.