Sandy Fire Burns 1,386 Acres in Simi Valley, Triggers Mandatory Evacuations

The Sandy Fire, a wind-driven wildfire burning in the hills above Simi Valley, consumed more than 1,300 acres by Tuesday morning and prompted mandatory evacuations for thousands of residents.

“Fire crews continued monitoring hotspots Tuesday morning in Simi Valley - and progress is being made”

ABC7 Los Angeles

Ventura County Fire Department officials said the blaze grew to 1,386 acres with 5% containment on Tuesday afternoon after it began near Sandy Avenue and spread rapidly due to terrain-driven winds and low humidity.

ABC7 Los Angeles

Simi Valley Police Department said that around 10:17 a.m. they received a report that an individual "hit a rock with a tractor" near the 2600 block of Rudolph Drive, which sparked the fire.

Cal Fire officials said that "the fire is spreading dangerously fast and threatens structures as well as infrastructure," adding that multiple air and ground resources were en route and on order.

More than 750 firefighters were assigned to the Sandy Fire, and aerial footage showed thick smoke, several water-dropping helicopters, and residents evacuating their homes.

Ventura County Fire Department public information officer Andrew Dowd said the response relied on helicopters and water drops, noting, "Having the ability to drop up to a thousand gallons of water per drop".

CAL FIRE (.gov)

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said city officials were "closely monitoring" the fire and that the Los Angeles Fire Department had deployed some resources to support Ventura County crews.

By 2:40 p.m. on Tuesday, Cal Fire said fire activity had decreased significantly due to lighter wind conditions, allowing firefighters to strengthen containment lines and continue aggressive suppression efforts.

Evacuation orders and warnings remained in place across Simi Valley and surrounding areas, with the Ventura County Sheriff's Emergency Services issuing mandatory evacuations for more than 13,000 residents.

“Incident Facts - Name - Sandy Fire - Start Date/Time - 2026-05-18 - Incident Status - Active - Location - Off Sandy Ave, Simi Valley - Type - Wildfire - Cause - Under Investigation - Counties - Ventura - Administration Unit - Ventura County Fire Department - Unified Command Agency(s) - Size - 1,386 - Containment - 5% - Structures Threatened - Structures Destroyed - Structures Damaged - Civilian Injuries - Firefighter Injuries - Civilian Fatalities - Firefighter Fatalities Evacuation Zones Evacuation Information: Evacuation Orders Evacuation Orders issued for the following zones: - BELL-01 - BELL-02 - BELL-03 - BELL-04 - BELL-05 - BURR-01 - CHES-01 - MEIC-01 - SASU-01 - SASHU-02 - Simi Valley 32a - Simi Valley 33a - Simi Valley 34 - Simi Valley 35 Evacuation Warnings Evacuation Warnings issued for the following zones: - AGO-C304 - BOXC-02 - BOXC-03 - CAL-C401 - CSB-U024 - HID-C501 - LAC-LAKEMANOR - LAC-WOODLSEY - LFD-0295 - LFD-0343 - LFD-0405 - LFD-0469 - LFD-0471 - MTV-U048 - WTH-U045 Animal Evacuation Shelters Small Animal Shelter Simi Valley Animal Shelter 670 W Los Angeles Avenue Simi Valley, CA 93065 Large Animal Shelter Ventura County Fairgrounds 10 E Harbor Blvd”

CAL FIRE (.gov)

The California Highway Patrol closed a portion of Interstate 8 westbound at State Route 94 and Interstate 8 eastbound at Kitchen Creek due to the Tusil Fire, while Cal Fire ordered evacuations for several neighborhoods in that region.

In Simi Valley, a temporary evacuation point and overnight emergency shelter were established at the Rancho Santa Susana Community Park on 505 Los Angeles Avenue, and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library was evacuated and remained closed for the rest of the day.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said California secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to bolster the response, with local, state and tribal agencies able to apply for 75% reimbursement of eligible fire suppression costs.