Blaze consumes 95 acres in Santa Clara
River as firefighters continue fight
June 24, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Local streets and a highway off ramp were closed and a golf course evacuated when a brush fire broke out in the Santa Clara River bed, a blaze that was spread by dry brush and pushed by winds.
As of mid-afternoon Monday the fire, reported at 1:06 p.m. near Acacia Road between Palm and Peck avenues, had zigzagged across the river bottom and changed direction from west to east.
With plenty of tinder dry brush and winds the second alarm fire drew a major response from various fire agencies including Ventura County, Oxnard, Fillmore, Ventura City, California Department of the Forestry and Santa Paula; two fire retardant air tankers and water dropping helicopters were also called to the scene.
Early on there was fear that residents of a mobile home park on Santa Maria Street would have to be evacuated and the roadway was closed to all incoming traffic.
The winds skipped the fire east to the area of Mountain View Golf Course and the Santa Paula Airport. The heavy black smoke coming from the river bottom caused an evacuation at the golf course and hampered pilots at the airport.
At one point moving private aircraft at the airport away from the riverside of the runway was being addressed.
Officials also closed the 12th Street Bridge to allow easy access for firefighting equipment; some residents near the fire scene in the South Mountain Road area were evacuating horses and other livestock.
Although the cause was not known the fire reportedly started near a homeless encampment.
At about 2:30 p.m. one man reportedly living in the encampment came out of the fire area and told firefighters that others had stayed behind at the camp.
More than 30 units and 125 firefighters responded to the fire that was being pushed to the east and as of 3:30 had consumed about 95 acres.
Although Highway 126 remained open it was questionable how long the eastbound off ramps would remain open at Peck and Palm Avenue as well as 10th Street. Balcom Canyon Road was shut to traffic.
As of press deadline there was no estimate of when the fire might be contained; no injuries were reported.
