Ventura ‘Auto Fire’ has burned more than 55 acres along Santa Clara River bottom
VENTURA, Calif. – Ventura County Fire Public Information Officer Andrew Dowd said up-staffing and mutual aid helped firefighters from Ventura County, Ventura, and Oxnard stopped the growth of a fire in the Santa Clara River bottom Monday night.
Dowd told Your News Channel reporter Tracy Lehr Monday he believed they stopped the fire from growing beyond its current size.
The Auto Fire is currently 25 percent contained with forward progress fully stopped since 12:30 a.m. shared the Ventura County Fire Department Tuesday afternoon.
#autofire; The Auto Fire is now at 25% containment and remains at 55.7 acres. All forward progress of the fire has been stopped since 12:30am yesterday, and the fire has not grown outside established control features.
— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) January 14, 2025
Firefighters worked through the night and morning mopping up…
The Watch Duty Fire map showed it had grown to 55.7 acres along the river bottom.
The fire burned an area between the Olivas Park Golf Course and the Ventura Auto Mall.
Fire and police and Sheriff's deputies could see the red glow from a parking lot full of cars from the Port of Hueneme.
None of the cars were damaged.
The Ventura County Sheriff's Office issued an evacuation order for a homeless encampment in the riverbed as a result of the fire that has now been rescinded.
A woman on a bicycle rode out but did not seem to know how the fire started.
The mother of an unhoused young man started yelling his name.
She said they don't usually have phones that work and they don't always get the warnings.
Diana Larios, said her 25-year-old son suffers from schizophrenia and didn't even know about the Palisades Fire. She had planned on going to check on him when the fire broke out.
Darios who lives in her car said he is usually in the area with a girlfriend.
First responders asked golf courses nearby to turn their sprinkers on.
Crews also asked drivers to avoid Victoria Ave. and Olivas Park Rd during the fire fight.
Helicopters did countless water drops in the dark.
Heavy equipment, including a bulldozer went to work and hand crews joined the fight.
The fire started after 7 p.m. during strong Santa Ana winds.
About 75 firefighters worked to contain or fully surround it.
Dowd said everyone should sign up for VC Alert at https://www.vcemergency.com
And with more Santa Ana winds in the forecast have a ready, set, go plan in place.
