Sandy Fire Burns 830 Acres in Simi Valley, Prompts Evacuations

M. Monday in Simi Valley, California, about 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. , according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Officials issued mandatory evacuation orders for a large swath of Simi Valley and warnings for parts of neighboring Thousand Oaks.

, 23,825 people were under mandatory evacuation orders and 13,115 under warnings, according to a New York Times estimate.

M. from a driver who reported striking a rock with a tractor. That spark ignited the brush, which expanded into the Sandy Fire, according to Sgt. Rick Morton. Authorities do not believe criminal activity was involved, Morton said. The fire grew from 10 acres to 180 acres in about half an hour and reached 830 acres by late afternoon.

Helicopters dropped water on the fire as it burned up a slope toward homes. Four additional large airtankers were requested after a wind shift caused the fire to push southeast. The Reagan Presidential Library was evacuated as the fire burned about three miles away. A second fire, the Burro Fire, remained contained at about 30 acres.

“The fire is making a strong push to the Southeast now. Structures still threatened at this time, 836 acres.”