Newly released helicopter footage captures the extensive devastation caused by a raging wildfire in California's mountainous regions.
The aerial views reveal miles of scorched earth amid a fire that has burned over 20,000 acres of Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles, and forced more than 10,000 people to evacuate from their homes.
In the video, a Ventura County Air Unit Firehawk is seen performing water drops over the fire as smoke fills the air.
"The fire is burning in steep, rugged terrain, with dry and receptive fuels, which have challenged containment efforts," state agency Cal Fire said in a status report Friday. "Fire activity moderated due to the decrease in winds over the fire. The fire continued to back in areas where it had not been tied into control lines. The fire remains a threat to critical infrastructure."
"Our thoughts are with all of members of our local Ventura County community through this devastating incident," Cal Fire added in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
So far, at least 132 buildings have been destroyed by the fire and nearly 90 others damaged, while at least six people have been injured, including one firefighter. There have been no reported fatalities.
#mountainfire update; The fire is currently at 20,596 acres with 7% containment. There are currently 2,420 personnel on scene, including 378 engines, 20 Water Tenders, 34 Hand Crews, 17 Dozers and 14 helicopters.
VCFD is in unified command with CAL FIRE Incident Management Team… pic.twitter.com/crvkzjvHpW
As of Saturday morning, the blaze has been 14 percent contained, according to CalFire.
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Ventura County on Friday after the fire, which began on Wednesday morning at approximately 8.50 a.m. near the 7900 block of Balcom Canyon Road and Bradley Road, spread to more than 6,000 acres in one day due to 55 mph Santa Ana winds, gusting up to 100 mph.
"This is a dangerous fire that is spreading quickly and is threatening lives," Newsom said in his emergency declaration.
Having burned through parts of Camarillo, the fire is now blazing toward Santa Paula and Somis, where an estimated 30,000 people live in its projected path. Evacuation orders across 10 zones are currently in place; schools and roads have been closed; and animal evacuation centers have been established.
Cal Fire reports that there are currently 2,420 personnel, 14 helicopters, 378 engines and 34 crews working to contain the blaze.
Residents are being advised to stay indoors and avoid taking strenuous exercise due to poor air quality.
On Wednesday, Newsom received approval for the Federal Emergency Management Agency Fire Management Assistance Grant. This means California will pay 25 percent of the cost of the wildfire response and the federal government 75 percent.
The United States has endured an intense wildfire season, with 8.1 million acres burned so far—well above the annual average of around 7 million acres over the past decade, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
In California alone, wildfires have already scorched more than three times the land area compared to this time last year, when the fire season was relatively mild, Cal Fire reports.
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