Fire crews do battle across the Southland
Flames erupt in Ventura County to end a day that began with two Inland Empire blazes, one ignited by a car chase
As firefighters worked Thursday to get a handle on blazes across Southern California, fierce winds sparked new fires, including one in Ventura County that quickly exploded to 4,000 acres as it raced toward homes late in the evening.
The blaze, dubbed the Maria fire, broke out atop South Mountain, just south of Santa Paula, about 6:15 p.m., the Ventura County Fire Department said. Evacuation orders were issued for about 7,500 people as firefighters tried to keep the flames from spreading north toward Santa Paula and south toward Somis.
Earlier Thursday, the Hillside fire tore into neighborhoods in north San Bernardino. The fire erupted about 1:40 a.m. near Highway 18 at Lower Waterman Canyon and took off, quickly burning downhill into neighborhoods as authorities rushed to awaken and evacuate residents. The blaze had consumed 200 acres and burned six homes as of Thursday evening, fire officials said. Firefighters had boosted containment to 50%.
In Jurupa Valley, a fire sparked by a late-night police pursuit that ended in a crash quickly spread to 300 acres, damaging several buildings and prompting Riverside County officials to declare a state of emergency. The wind-driven blaze, which was named the 46 fire, was reported at 12:39 a.m. and was pushed by gusts reaching 25 mph, according to law enforcement and weather officials. It was also 50% contained as of Thursday night.
The fire originated in a field in the 4800 block of Crestmore Road after a police pursuit ended in a vehicle crash, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. The
Smoke from multiple wildfires hung over much of Southern California on Thursday, blanketing the region with hazy brown vistas and pungent, ashy air and prompting health warnings from air quality officials.
Because of morning wind patterns, some of the highest levels of fine-particle pollution, or wildfire soot, hovered over a coastal area that normally has relatively clean air — the communities that stretch from Santa Monica to Long Beach. That changed later in the day.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory spanning much of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Officials predicted smoke and ash to produce pollution levels that are “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” including children, the elderly and people with preexisting health problems. Air pollution could potentially reach higher levels in areas directly downwind from fires, the advisory noted.
Among the areas where officials expect poor air quality through Friday morning:
Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica and the Westside of Los Angeles
Riverside, Jurupa Valley, Mira Loma, Corona and the Chino Valley
San Bernardino, Muscoy, Rialto, Colton, Highland and communities along the 215 Freeway corridor
Air quality in the “moderate” range was widespread Thursday morning as winds blew from the north and northeast, pushing smoke south and southwest across Los Angeles County. Pollution reached levels that are “unhealthy for sensitive groups” along parts of the coast, including Long Beach and the South Bay.
But with winds predicted to shift to come from the west and southwest Thursday afternoon until sunset, the smoke could move back east and northeast across the Los Angeles Basin.
Elevated pollution levels are expected again in the early morning hours Friday.
Pollution tends to be worst in the early morning, when weather conditions cause wildfire smoke to hug close to the ground. Webcam imagery showed smoke from the Hill and 46 fires hovering near the ground in the Riverside and Chino Valley areas Thursday morning, according to the air district.
Wildfire smoke can irritate the eyes, nose and throat, trigger asthma attacks and raise the risk of heart attacks and stroke. Tiny, harmful particles in the smoke can lodge deep in the lungs and pose serious health risks, especially to children, the elderly and people with lung diseases.
The district updates air quality conditions, maps and pollution readings hourly online.