| Mountain Fire | |
|---|---|
| Part of the2024 California wildfires | |
 GOES-18 loop of the fire on November 6th | |
| Date(s) |
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| Location |
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| Coordinates | 34°19′05″N118°58′05″W / 34.318°N 118.968°W /34.318; -118.968[1] |
| Statistics | |
| Burned area | 19,904 acres (8,055 ha; 31 sq mi; 81 km2) |
| Impacts | |
| Non-fatal injuries | 10 (≥6 civilians, ≥1 firefighter) |
| Structures destroyed | 243 destroyed, 127 damaged |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Rekindling of earlier wildfire |
| Map | |
 The footprint of the Mountain Fire | |
TheMountain Fire was a destructive and fast-movingwildfire inVentura County,Southern California, in November 2024. The fire burned 19,904 acres (8,055 hectares), destroyed and damaged hundreds of buildings, and caused multiple injuries.
The Mountain Fire began shortly before 9:00 a.m.PST on November 6 during an episode of strongSanta Ana winds in Southern California.[2] TheNational Weather Service'sStorm Prediction Center delineated an "extremely critical" risk area on their Day 1 fire weather outlook, warning of lowrelative humidity values combined with a strong wind event with gusts of over 65 miles per hour (105 km/h).[3] The National Weather Service office in Los Angeles issued a 'particularly dangerous situation'red flag warning for November 6–7 in the area;[4] it was the first such issuance in the Los Angeles area since 2020. TheLos Angeles Times called it "the most extreme Santa Ana wind event to hit Southern California in years".[5]
The fire was first reported at 8:50 a.m.PST "near the 7900 block of Balcom Canyon Road and Bradley Road", according toCBS News and theVentura County Fire Department,[6] in a remote area north of the community ofSomis.[5] The fire grew to approximately 1,000 acres (400 ha) in the hour after its ignition. At approximately 11:00 a.m., the fire crossedState Route 118 and began to impinge on the Camarillo Heights neighborhood.[6][7]
KTLA reporter Sara Welch reported that "winds are so fierce that they can’t get anyfixed-wing aircraft up there todrop any water".[8]
Evacuation orders were issued for parts of Ventura County.[9] By November 7,CNN reported that 14,000 residents ofVentura County had received evacuation notices.[10]
On November 27, three weeks after it first began, the Mountain Fire reached 100 percent containment.[11]
At least ten people were injured—including at least one firefighter and six civilians—and two of those people were hospitalized. Some of the injuries were due to smoke inhalation.[6]
The fire destroyed 243 structures and damaged another 127.[12] Of those, at least 83 were homes in Camarillo Heights.[13] Approximately 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) of farmland were impacted by the fire. Besides the homes, outbuildings, fences, irrigation lines, and other farming equipment, the fire damaged or destroyed avocado, citrus and berry crops.[14]
Many schools in Ventura County were closed on Thursday, November 7, due to the fire.[5]
An investigation determined that a week before the Mountain fire started on November 6, 2024, a tractor clearing brush had started a wildfire. While the fire was limited to 1.8 acres (0.73 ha), a hotspot was detected the next day near the tractor's wheel. When the Santa Ana winds began to blow the following week, the fire rekindled.[15]
| Date | Area burned | Personnel | Containment | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 6[16] | 1,500 acres (610 ha; 6.1 km2) | . . . | 0% | ||
| November 7[17] | 20,485 acres (8,290 ha; 82.90 km2) | 2,420 | 5% | ||
| November 8[18] | 20,630 acres (8,350 ha; 83.5 km2) | 2,999 | 14% | ||
| November 9[19] | 20,630 acres (8,350 ha; 83.5 km2) | 2,999 | 17% | ||
| November 10[20] | 20,630 acres (8,350 ha; 83.5 km2) | 2,812 | 31% | ||
| November 11[21] | 20,630 acres (8,350 ha; 83.5 km2) | 2,399 | 42% | ||
| November 12[22] | 20,630 acres (8,350 ha; 83.5 km2) | 2,399 | 48% | ||
| November 13[23] | 20,630 acres (8,350 ha; 83.5 km2) | 1,487 | 79% | ||
| November 14[24] | 19,904 acres (8,055 ha; 80.55 km2) | 1,146 | 91% | ||
| November 15[25] | 19,904 acres (8,055 ha; 80.55 km2) | 140 | 93% | ||
| November 16[26] | 19,904 acres (8,055 ha; 80.55 km2) | 66 | 95% | ||
| November 17[27] | 19,904 acres (8,055 ha; 80.55 km2) | . . . | 98% | ||
| November 18[28] | 19,904 acres (8,055 ha; 80.55 km2) | . . . | 98% | ||
| . . . | . . . | . . . | . . . | ||
| November 22[29] | 19,904 acres (8,055 ha; 80.55 km2) | . . . | 98% | ||
| . . . | . . . | . . . | . . . | ||
| November 27[11] | 19,904 acres (8,055 ha; 80.55 km2) | . . . | 100% |
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