Rapidly spreading brush fire prompts an evacuation order for thousands
north of Los Angeles
[August 08, 2025]
By JAIMIE DING
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A brush fire in a mountainous area north of Los
Angeles ignited and spread quickly Thursday, forcing thousands of
evacuations.
The Canyon Fire ignited around 1:30 p.m., growing to over 2.3 square
miles (6 square kilometers) in five hours, according to Ventura County
emergency response. It remained zero percent contained late Thursday
afternoon and was spreading east, the county said.
The fire is burning just south of Lake Piru, a reservoir located in the
Los Padres National Forest. It's close by Lake Castaic, a popular
recreation area burned by the Hughes Fire in January. That fire burned
about 15 square miles (39 square kilometers) in six hours and put 50,000
people under evacuation orders or warnings.
In LA County, around 4,200 residents and 1,400 structures are under an
evacuation order, and another 12,500 residents are under an evacuation
warning, said spokesperson Andrew Dowd for the Venture County Fire
Department.
The evacuation zones in nearby Ventura County are relatively
unpopulated, Dowd said. Fifty-six people were evacuated from the Lake
Piru recreation area.
Dowd said the fire was a “very dynamic situation” caused by hot, dry
weather, steep and rugged terrain and dry fuel. There were 250
firefighters on the ground coordinating with helicopters and other air
support, he said.
LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the district, urged
residents to evacuate.
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A firefighter battles the Canyon Fire on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, in
Hasley Canyon, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
“Extreme heat and low humidity in our north county have created
dangerous conditions where flames can spread with alarming speed,"
Barger said in a statement. “If first responders tell you to leave,
go—without hesitation.”
The new blaze comes as a massive wildfire in Central California
became the state's largest blaze of the year, threatening hundreds
of homes and burning out of control in the Los Padres National
Forest.
The Gifford Fire had spread to 154 square miles (399 square
kilometers) by Thursday afternoon and was at 15% containment. It
grew out of at least four smaller fires that erupted last Friday
along State Route 166, forcing closures in both directions east of
Santa Maria, a city of about 110,000 people. It has injured at least
four people. The causes of the fires are under investigation.
Wildfire risk will be elevated through the weekend across much of
inland California as a heat wave gripping the area intensifies.
August and September are typically the most dangerous months for
wildfires in the state.
“In Southern California, the threat is driven by persistent drought,
high grass loads, and weakening coastal moisture,” according to a
wildfire forecast by the state's fire department.
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