Map Shows Where Canyon Fire Is Burning in Southern California

A fast-burning brush fire erupted in California’s Ventura County on Thursday afternoon and quickly spread to 1,500 acres. There was zero containment as of late afternoon and the fire later crossed into Los Angeles County, according to the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

Evacuation orders have been issued for nine zones and an additional eight zones are under evacuation warnings, the agency said. As of 6:34 p.m. PT, there were no reports of casualties or damage to structures.

Why It Matters

The Canyon Fire is about 90 miles southeast of the massive Gifford Fire, which now covers nearly 100,000 acres. The cause is under investigation.

Temperatures in the area are near 100 degrees and humidity as low as 15 percent. The southern part of California has seen very little rain, drying out vegetation and making it “ripe to burn,” the National Weather Service (NWS) for Los Angeles warned.

What To Know

The Canyon Fire started at 1:25 p.m. local time in a remote mountainous area southeast of Piru Lake, north of Highway 126 and west of the town of Castaic. It is being tackled by the Ventura and Los Angeles county fire departments, Cal Fire said.

“The fire is burning east with a rapid rate of spread in light to medium fuels. The onshore push is influencing fire behavior and the fire is threatening 60kv powerlines as well as the communities of Halsley Canyon and Hatthaway Ranch but is moving away from the community of Piru,” the agency added.

Warning of an “immediate threat to life,” Cal Fire said evacuation orders had been issued for the following zones:

• PIRU-14
• PIRU-01
• LAKP-05
• LAKP-06
• LAKP-04
• CAS-VALVERDE
• CAS-OAKCANYON
• CAS-HASLEY
• CAS-ROMERO

Evacuation warnings had been issued for eight zones:

• CAS-INDUSTRY
• CAS-GOLDENSTATE-B
• CAS-SLOAN
• CAS-GREENHILL
• CAS-CAMBRIDGE
• CAS-HILLCREST
• LAKP-01
• LAKP-02

What People are Saying

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger urged people to heed evacuation orders: “The Eaton Fire showed us how quickly devastation can strike. It is never worth risking your life, the lives of your loved ones and pets, or the safety of those working to protect you. Your safety is my top priority, and swift action saves lives.”

What Happens Next

Fire risk will be elevated through the weekend across much of inland California as a heat wave intensifies, the NWS warned.