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Sandy Fire Slows to 5% Containment as 17,000 Remain Evacuated

Overnight cooling gave crews a foothold against the blaze.

Overview

  • The wind-driven wildfire, which ignited Monday in Simi Valley, reached about 1,385 acres by Tuesday morning with roughly 5% containment and about 17,000 residents still under evacuation orders.
  • Following Monday’s explosive spread, firefighters used cooler, lighter winds overnight to hold lines, with about 750 personnel and night-flying helicopters limiting new growth.
  • At least one home burned near Trickling Brook Court, Simi Valley schools closed Tuesday, and shelters for people and animals remain open at designated sites.
  • Police said a caller reported at 10:17 a.m. Monday that a tractor struck a rock while clearing brush and sparked a fire, though investigators have not confirmed this as the cause.
  • California secured a FEMA Fire Management Assistance Grant to cover up to 75% of eligible suppression costs, and officials warned that warm, dry conditions and terrain-driven winds could still drive flare-ups.