Update: 40% containment achieved for Sandy Fire in Ventura County
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Updated: 9:34 p.m. May 21
First discovered: 3 days ago, 10:50 a.m. May 18
Initial location: Off Sandy Ave, Simi Valley, Ventura County, Calif.
Fire unit: Ventura County Fire Department
Fire type: Wildfire
Fire name: Sandy Fire
Sandy Fire initially started 10:50 a.m. May 18 on Off Sandy Ave, Simi Valley in Ventura County, California.
It has burned 2,141.2 acres after being active for three days. A crew of 1,121 firefighters effectively contained 40% of the fire as of Thursday evening. However, the cause is still being investigated.
106 engines, two water tenders, eight dozers and 23 hand crews will continue to combat the blaze. According to Cal Fire, "Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the State are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow."
Evacuation information from Cal Fire
Evacuation Orders
Immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW. The area is lawfully closed to public access.
Visit Ventura County Emergency Information for updated emergency information pertaining to the Sandy Fire.
Evacuation Orders issued for the following zones:
Ventura County
BURR-01A
MEIC-01
SIMI-32A
SIMI-34B
SIMI-35
Evacuation Warnings
Potential threat to life and/or property. Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock should leave now.
Visit Ventura County Emergency Information for updated emergency information pertaining to the Sandy Fire.
Evacuation Warnings issued for the following zones:
Ventura County
BURR-01B
BELL-01
BELL-02
BELL-03
BELL-04
BELL-05
CHES-01A
SASU-01
SIMI-32C
SIMI-33E
SIMI-34A
SIMI-27
SIMI-28
Evacuation Shelters
An emergency shelter is open for overnight stay at:
Rancho Santa Susana Community Park
5005 E Los Angeles Avenue
Simi Valley, CA 93063
Animal Evacuation Shelters
For information on animal evacuations, please call Ventura County Animal Services at 805-388-4341.
Small Animal Shelters are open at:
Simi Valley Animal Shelter (Small domestic animals only)
670 W Los Angeles Avenue
Simi Valley, CA 93065
Camarillo Animal Shelter (Small domestic animals only)
600 Aviation Drive
Camarillo, CA 93010
Large Animal Shelter for horses and livestock is open at:
Ventura County Fairgrounds
10 E Harbor Blvd.
Ventura, CA 93001
Road Closures
For the current status of county-maintained roads, visit Ventura County Public Works Agency
Bell Canyon Road is closed in both directions from Overland Drive
Katherine Road at railroad tracks
Clear Springs Road from Santa Susana Pass Road to Katherine Road
Oak Knolls Road @ Southern Oaks Avenue
Crinklaw Lane
Santa Susana Pass Road at railroad tracks
Santa Susana Pass Road at Box Canyon Road
See live video from the area:
Https://cameras.alertcalifornia.org/?id=Axis-OatSouth2
Fire containment
What does it mean for a fire to be 40% contained?
Containment indicates what percentage of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 40% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 60% is still uncontrolled.
Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn't always correlate to safety level. Also, it's important to note that containment doesn't mean a fire is out.
How is containment measured?
The incident's central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.
Source: Cal Fire
United Robots Sacramento
This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 5:43 AM.