SANTA PAULA, Calif. (KNBC) – A new brush fire starting to rage in Ventura County is threatening thousands of homes and forcing evacuations.
The Maria Fire broke out Thursday evening just south of Santa Paula. By Friday morning, the fire had grown to nearly 9,000 acres with zero containment.
Fire officials say the Santa Ana winds are giving the fire life and changed the direction of the flames toward Santa Paula.
So far, 2,300 structures are threatened and 8,000 people are under evacuation orders.
Firefighting aircraft were flying Friday making water drops over areas where groves of trees are being threatened by the flames.
A shelter is open at the community center in Camarillo.
Large animals are being accepted at the Ventura County Fairgrounds and the Earl Warren Show Grounds in Santa Barbara.
Small animals are accepted at the Ventura County animal shelter at the Camarillo airport.
Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen said this won’t be over any time soon. “We are in the middle of a big fight we are about a week into this and the end is not yet in sight,” he explained.
The Santa Ana winds were gusting up to 80 miles per hour with low humidity.
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