Local agencies are sending help to Ventura County as two wildfires are burning in the county
The Hill Fire broke out near Newbury Park on Thursday afternoon, just hours after the deadly mass shooting at Borderline Bar & Grill in nearby Thousand Oaks. By Friday morning, it had burned about 6,000 acres and more than 1.000 homes were evacuated. No structures had been lost.
A second fire broke out near Simi Valley and exploded in size overnight. By Friday morning, the Woolsey Fire had jumped Highway 101 and forced a mandatory evacuation for the entire city of Malibu. There are reportedly 75,000 homes under evacuation orders in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office says it is sending 16 deputies to the Hill Fire to assist the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office with evacuations and to help maintain road closures in the area. The Pismo Beach Police Department is sending two officers, the Cuesta College Police Department is sending one officer, and the Cal Poly University Police Department is also sending an officer.
The Arroyo Grande Police Department says two of its officers were deployed to assist with evacuations and road closures related to the Woolsey Fire.
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office says it will continue to coordinate resources in case more help is needed in Ventura County.
In addition to law enforcement officers, local firefighters are also headed to Ventura County.
CAL FIRE San Luis Obispo sent a Type 3 strike team. San Luis Obispo County sent an additional Type 1 strike team, which is made up of three engines. Four San Luis Obispo city firefighters, four San Luis Obispo County firefighters, four Morro Bay city firefighters, and one strike team leader from Paso Robles city fire are on the way.
Atascadero Fire & Emergency Services says it has sent a type 3 engine to work alongside Five Cities Fire, Montecito Fire, Vandenberg Fire and Carpinteria Summerland Fire as part of a strike team to provide structure protection for the Woolsey Fire.
Firefighters say 21 people are needed to make up a single strike team. The three engines from San Luis Obispo will be supplemented by Glendale fire in order to qualify as a type 1 strike team.
Today @CALFIRE_SLO sent 1 type3 strike team (ST) to Butte #campfire & 1 Bulldozer ST to Ventura #Hillfire in addition to #calfire resources, the (local Gov) #slocounty fire Depts also sent 1 type 3 ST to the #HillFire. 10 engines, 3 ST leaders & 2 dozers deployed from #SLOCounty
— CAL FIRE SLO (@CALFIRE_SLO) November 9, 2018
Santa Barbara County Fire is sending a five-engine strike team, Battalion Chief, two dozers, and other resources from Carp-Summerland, Montecito, and Santa Barbara City.
#HillFire-SBC has the following resources assigned to the fire. •5 Engine Strike Team/Battalion Chief. • 2 Dozers • Crew 1-2 •Also Strike Team from SBCo Op Area (Carp-Summerland, Montecito, Santa Barbara City, SBC) For More info- @VCFD @VCFD_PIO.
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) November 9, 2018
Four Santa Maria Fire Department personnel are also being sent to the fire.
#WoolseyFire – The SBC 5-engine & one Battalion Chief Strike Team has been reassigned from the Hill Fire to the Woolsey Fire and is currently working with LA County FF’s to save homes in the Calabasas area. (Photos by Battalion Chief David Neels/SBC) pic.twitter.com/uaV98dsrmc
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) November 9, 2018
