VENTURA, Calif. -- A wind-whipped brush fire has kept a stretch of Pacific Coast Highway closed for hours and forced the evacuation of dozens of homes northwest of Los Angeles.
The Ventura County Fire Department said the brush fire that started northwest of the city of Ventura spread to 1,200 acres Saturday. Winds reached 50 mph in the dry area.
Highway 101 -- a major north-south route in Southern California -- was closed in both directions for roughly 15 miles from state Highway 150 to state Highway 33, forcing holiday travelers to take narrow, backcountry roads.
About 60 homes were ordered evacuated in the coastal Solimar Beach community and another 30 were under voluntary evacuation.
Ventura County Fire spokesman Tom Kruschke says the fire is about 10 percent contained.
Strong winds, dry brush fueling #SolimarFire https://t.co/g88j6mbief pic.twitter.com/xsjBK4NFNG
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) December 26, 2015
#SolimarFire UPDATE: 101 remains closed at SR-33, SR-150; railroad activity in area halted https://t.co/g88j6msTCP pic.twitter.com/LMbIGsKGHn
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) December 26, 2015
On Saturday, Kern County Fire officials said that their Dozer Strike Team had been requested from their department for immediate need to assist with the Solimar Fire in Ventura County.
KCFD officials added the Strike Team is led by a Strike Team Leader for a total of 5 .
Dozer 3 and 5 have been deployed to the Solimar Fire for immediate need. 2 dozer operators, 2 walkers and 1 strike team leader for a total of 5 personnel.
