Wheeler Canyon Fire: Human caused
blaze focus of aggressive firefight
April 22, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
A teenager was cited and released and two firefighters transported for heat exhaustion resulting from a stubborn two-alarm fire Saturday in tinder-dry Wheeler Canyon.
About 100 firefighters responded to the event that was first reported 9:50 a.m. in the 7700 block of Wheeler Canyon Road north of Foothill Drive near Limoneira Co. headquarters.
Santa Paula Fire also responded to the fire, located in a deep canyon about midway between Santa Paula and Ventura.
Responding firefighters reported seeing smoke a mile away from the blaze and upon arrival found a quarter acre of brush burning east to west on a slope.
Several structures were threatened during the fire event that initially drew more than 85 emergency responders from various agencies including incident command Ventura County Fire and Ventura City Fire. Hand crews and engine companies worked the blaze that left two firefighters with slight cases of heat exhaustion; they were transported to an area hospital for treatment.
Initially helicopters with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and Los Angeles County Fire Department dropped water on the blaze but later in the day, when a spot fire broke out beyond the containment area, fixed wing air tankers with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection were also called in to assist by dropping retardant on the blaze.
About four hours after the initial call the fire was contained at less than five acres, but about an hour there was a flare-up outside the containment area that brought the total of the two fires to about five and a half acres.
There were some gusts of wind up to 20 mph that moved the fire along the extremely dry brush but not the dangerous Santa Anas that were experienced earlier this week and prompted red flag alerts.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said the fire was human caused and cited a 17-year-old in connection with the blaze before releasing the teen to a guardian. The fire is being investigated to determine if it was arson.
The deadline for the annually mandated weed abatement is June 1st, but one Wheeler Canyon resident said, “I didn’t wait, I’ve had it cut back all year … and many of my neighbors are keeping the area around their homes clear.”
The canyon resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said it is a challenge to clear the land due to the dryness of the brush and worries about sparks that could set off a fire.
“I guess a machete is about the only safe thing to use,” he noted.
Firefighters were going to remain on scene overnight to mop-up and monitor the fire area.
