Crews Battle Simi Valley Fire

A fast-moving brush fire in Southern California forced evacuations Monday as it approached homes in the hills above Simi Valley, northwest of Los Angeles. The blaze, called the Sandy Fire, erupted around 10am and had burned more than 500 acres by mid-afternoon, the Ventura County Fire Department said. At least one home was damaged, NBC News reports. Gusts over 30mph drove the flames early in the day, though winds began easing by late afternoon and were expected to weaken further after sunset, according to a fire department spokesperson. The New York Times estimated 23,825 people were under mandatory evacuation orders and 13,115 under warnings.

Simi Valley, a city of more than 125,000 people roughly 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, was blanketed in smoke as helicopters dropped water on the fire. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, located on a nearby ridge, closed for the day as a precaution. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Cal Fire said the effort includes about 200 firefighters on the front lines, plus ground crews, three air tankers, and six helicopters.