This post is on the 2005 fire. I’m posting updates on the October 2007 fires here.
There’s a substantial brush fire going on in Chatsworth and Simi Valley, California. The LA Times reports:
A wildfire, fanned by the first Santa Ana winds of the season, has charred 17,000 acres along the Los Angeles-Ventura county border, forcing hundreds from their homes and closing schools today.
The fire, which more than doubled in size from this morning’s estimates, remains “far from being over,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yarovslavsky at a morning press conference. But diminishing winds made officials cautiously optimistic.
“The situation has improved over what it was yesterday,” Yaroslavsky said. “This may end well for all of us.”
Earlier today, more than 450 people had been evacuated from Agoura Hills, Northeast Oak Park, Bell Canyon, Lake Canyon, Old Agoura, Box Canyon and Woolsey Canyon Road into several shelters, according to the American Red Cross.
Driven by overnight winds gusting to 40 mph, the fires more than doubled overnight and produced tall columns of smoke visible around the Los Angeles Basin.
Today, the fire was only 5% contained, despite 3,000 firefighters, three times the number from Wednesday. So far, only one firefighter was injured in Chatsworth Wednesday when he was hit in the back by a large rock.
So far only one home is reported to have been destroyed but they’re concerned that the fire may jump the freeway.
Most of my wife’s family is in Simi Valley. And most of the men in the family are either current or retired firefighters. Nobody’s been called up for this one, yet. But there have been evacuation orders: the fire is currently eight blocks from my wife’s nephew’s house.
The California Department of Forestry is a pretty good place for updates.
Hello, My name is Ariel Crawford. I am a senior at Vista High School, and I have a quick question about the picture in this article. In my graphic design class, we are making book covers for an author who wrote a book about the fires in 2005. I was wondering if I had permission to use this photo in one of my cover ideas. Another thing…if I do have permission, do you happen to have a larger version?
As far as I’m concerned you have permission.
That’s the largest version I have of that picture.
Dave,
Do you own the rights to that wonderful image? If so, I would welcome an opportunity to use it in educational items for our agency. Please contact me at your earliest convenience.
Respectfully Yours in Safety and Service,
Brian Humphrey
Firefighter/Specialist
Public Service Officer
Los Angeles Fire Department