New evacuation warnings expanded into Los Angeles County Monday night as the fast-moving Sandy Firecontinued burning with zero containment.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department expanded evacuation warnings Monday evening into areas near Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Lake Manor and the Woolsey area as firefighters closely tracked the fire’s movement along the Ventura-Los Angeles County line.
Many of the communities newly placed under warnings were impacted by the 2018 Woolsey Fire, which destroyed more than 1,600 structures across Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
While the area remains part of the Woolsey burn scar, years of regrowth have brought back thick grasses, brush and vegetation across hillsides and canyons.
Officials urged residents not to wait and to prepare to leave if conditions worsen.
“Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock should leave now,” authorities warned.
The Sandy Fire erupted before 11 a.m. Monday near the 600 block of Sandy Avenue in Simi Valley and quickly exploded under dangerous weather conditions.
By Monday evening, the fire had grown to 1,364 acres with 0% containment, according to CAL FIRE.
At least one home and another structure have already been damaged.
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Dry Santa Ana winds with gusts reaching up to 40 mph helped drive the fire’s spread.
Conditions are expected to shift to onshore winds tonight, though forecasters warn warm and dry weather will continue into Tuesday.
“Warm temperatures, low afternoon humidity, and terrain-driven winds continue to challenge containment efforts, pushing fire activity toward the southeast,” CAL FIRE reported Monday evening. Officials warned that down-canyon winds were expected to keep the fire active along the southeastern edge into the night.
Roughly 500 firefighters continued battling the blaze from the air and on the ground Monday night as Los Angeles County strike teams joined suppression efforts.
More than 28,600 people remained under evacuation orders, according to county officials.
An emergency shelter is open for overnight stay at the Rancho Santa Susana Community Park and a large animal shelter for horses and livestock is open at the Los Angeles Pierce College, per the Ventura County Emergency Incident Dashboard.
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