Simi Valley brush fire triggers mandatory evacuations

The Sandy Fire in Simi Valley grew rapidly on May 18, forcing mandatory evacuations and widening the emergency response across Ventura County and nearby areas.

CAL FIRE first reported the fire at 184 acres with 0% containment in an afternoon update, then said it had grown to 836 acres by early evening, still with no containment. Later reporting put the fire at 1,364 acres by Monday evening.

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for multiple Simi Valley zones, with additional evacuation warnings extending into nearby areas. Officials also set up a temporary evacuation point at Rancho Santa Susana Community Park.

The Ventura County emergency page said the fire was moving east and that school closures were in place for Tuesday, May 19. The Simi Valley Unified School District later confirmed campuses would be closed because of the fire.

The blaze, named the Sandy Fire, started near Sandy Avenue in Simi Valley and remained under investigation. Officials continued to warn that acreage and evacuation zones could change as crews worked to slow the fire’s spread.

What to watch

The main questions overnight were whether the fire would grow further, whether any additional structures were damaged, and whether evacuation orders or warnings would expand into Los Angeles County.