Slower Winds Expected to Aid Fight Against ‘Nightmare’ California Fire

The fast-moving Mountain fire forced thousands to evacuate and destroyed neighborhoods in the hilly communities of Ventura County. “We figured we were trapped,” one resident said.

Firefighters in Southern California expected a reprieve from extreme weather conditions on Friday as they continued to battle a fast-moving fire that has already destroyed over 130 structures and damaged nearly 90 others.

Known as the Mountain fire, the blaze in Ventura County has been fueled by fierce wind gusts, troubling crews already struggling to navigate steep, rugged terrain. But those winds had softened by late Thursday and were predicted to slow even more by Friday afternoon. Breezes from the Pacific Ocean were also expected to add some much-needed moisture to the air.

“There is some concern for fire going the other way because of this, but the wind should be relatively light, and it is going to bring more moisture since it’s coming from the ocean,” Bryan Lewis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said on Friday.

The fire, which broke out on Wednesday, has torn through more than 20,000 acres, burned numerous homes and forced more than 10,000 people to evacuate.

By Friday morning, it was only 7 percent contained, fire officials said.

Ground crews and helicopters focused their containment efforts near the communities of Santa Paula and Somis. Many schools in the area were closed, and officials urged residents to stay away.