The fire burned 164 acres and started at about 1 p.m. June 22 near Acacia and Corporation roads on the west side of the city.

Although flames were as high as 40-feet in areas and several areas were put on voluntary evacuation as the fire burned east past 12th Street to about Dove Court in the Lemonwood Industrial Park off Hallock Drive, only a few outbuildings were reported to be damaged.

There was one Santa Paula Fire Firefighter injured according to a report given by Chief Rick Araiza to the City Council at the June 22 meeting.

A Santa Paula Fire Engine was first on scene and by that time Araiza said winds had “blown the fire from Acacia Road to Dartmouth...the call was upgraded to a heavy brushfire,” and a unified command established with Ventura County Fire, whose jurisdiction includes the fire area.

“Initial reports were homeless encampments were being threatened and we had a chopper giving us updates,” on the status of those living in the camps.

Araiza said helicopter crews reported seeing several subjects fleeing from the fire in the river bottom.

Santa Paula Airport was shut down to fire danger and heavy smoke and the Command Post set up near the runway. In all about 150 firefighters from various agencies — including Ventura County, Ventura City, Fillmore, Oxnard and the state Fire Service — responded to the blaze that sent billows of black smoke over the city.

Araiza told the council that initially there was a concern about homes overlooking the Santa Clara located at the ends of several streets as well as a mobile home park that hugs the riverbed.

Although dozers tried to cut a line to stop the progress of the fire at the 12th Street Bridge it raced to the east where it was contained at Dove Court.

Initial reports were some agriculture storage structures were burned.

“One of our firefighters received a very minor burn,” when he stepped into an ash pit that caught his boots on fire.

Araiza said the firefighter was “fine” but sent to Santa Paula Hospital for treatment.

The firefight was complicated by the growth in the riverbed, thick arundo donax that was imported into the United States many years ago as a decorative plant.

“This bamboo keeps popping up and burning, sending flames up to 30- to 40-feet,” and although Araiza told the council he was confident the fire would soon be under control “mopping up will take a few days to make sure the fire is completely out...fire is maintaining a strong presence there,” with plans to remain on scene continuously until the fire is completely extinguished.

Two fixed wing planes dropped fire retardant chemicals and three helicopters water on the fire, which caused the evacuation of Mountain View Golf Course and livestock from several ranches near the fire. Balcom Canyon Road and 12th Street at South Mountain Road were closed for several hours during the fire.

For a time the California Highway Patrol closed the eastbound Highway 126 off ramps at Peck Road, Palm Avenue and 10th Street. Santa Paula Police handled traffic and safety issues in the neighborhoods closest to the fire. 

Several areas near the fire were put on voluntary evacuation and the American Red Cross opened up the Community Center as a shelter, but only a handful of people not allowed to enter their neighborhoods showed up for a brief period of time. 

Araiza told the council that emergency responders were finding “a lot of homeless encampments” in the riverbed and although it was too early to say with certainty what the cause of the fire was it did break out near such an encampment.

He said initially the lower portion of the city was going to be evacuated but it was not needed...and would have been further complicated by the number of people that drove into the fire areas to look.

Araiza said traffic was particularly heavy on Santa Maria Street and that an accident occurred on Highway 126 due to a stopped car.

On Wednesday Ventura County Fire Capt. Mike Lindbery said equipment was being released from the River Fire to respond to other calls including a fire at the Rincon; at about 6 p.m. it was expected that thereafter the River Fire would be subject to regular patrols to ensure that hot spots did not reignite.

The arundo donax burns hot and deep and can smolder undetected beneath the surface, an issue firefighters are well aware. Aside from small gusts Monday there was very little wind to push the fire, which gained its strength and speed from the dry fuel presented by the thickets of bamboo that sucks up water and resists standard removal efforts.

Lindbery said that although investigators have determined the cause of the fire was human it was a conclusion reached through the process of elimination of other possible fire starters.

Even a “kid riding a motor scooter” or a tractor hitting a rock could create a spark that could set off the highly flammable riverbed brush.