Wind-driven Ranch fire in Apple Valley sparks evacuation order

A fire that started in Apple Valley has sparked an evacuation order in the area from Milpas Drive to High Road, according to Cal Fire.

In an announcement posted on social media, Cal Fire officials reported the Ranch fire south of Apple Valley around 2 p.m. By 4 p.m., the fire had grown to 1,533 acres. Officials said the fire was wind-driven, and low humidity contributed to the quick spread.

Wind speeds were at 22 mph around 2 p.m. and strengthened to 31 mph around 4 p.m., according to the Oxnard office of the National Weather Service.

“Weather conditions are expected to remain challenging into the evening,” Cal Fire officials said in a statement. Ground and air resources were being used to suppress the fire, the statement said.

Cal Fire urged residents to head to the evacuation site “safely and immediately” at Sitting Bull Academy, 19445 Sitting Bull Road.

The cause of the fire was still under investigation, officials said.