Canyon Fire Burns Over 5,300 Acres North of Los Angeles, Thousands Under Evacuation Orders

A fast-moving wildfire in the mountains north of Los Angeles is burning thousands of acres and forcing large-scale evacuations after erupting Thursday afternoon. The Canyon Fire, which began around 1:30 p.m. PT, has already scorched more than 5,300 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The Ventura County Fire Department says at least two structures have been destroyed, and the blaze is currently 25% contained. Most of its explosive growth occurred within just over an hour Thursday, burning the equivalent of a football field every two seconds.

The fire is burning south of Lake Piru in the Los Padres National Forest, straddling the Ventura–Los Angeles county border. In Los Angeles County alone, 2,700 residences and 700 structures are under evacuation orders, with another 14,000 residents and 5,000 structures under evacuation warnings.

“Extreme heat and low humidity in our north county have created dangerous conditions where flames can spread with alarming speed,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. She urged residents to leave immediately if told to evacuate.

Crews made progress overnight thanks to cooler temperatures and lighter winds, but hot, dry, and windy conditions are expected to persist through the weekend, with gusts of up to 30 mph.

The Canyon Fire comes on the heels of the Gifford Fire in Central California, the state’s largest wildfire of the year so far at over 99,000 acres burned. Massive blazes are also impacting Arizona and Utah, where historic megafires continue to spread.

Officials warn wildfire season in the West is far from over, with above-average fire danger forecast through at least September.

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