Update, Friday, 12:45 a.m.: The fire appears to have stalled in the Deer Creek Road area for two hours, with winds changing directions frequently.
A spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department said the southward-bound Springs fire reached Deer Creek Road at 10:30 p.m. Thursday night and there was “no indication” that is slowing down.
VCFD spokesman Bill Nash said the fire extended inland into upper Sycamore canyon and was continuing to move south at a steady pace.
“Nobody’s out there clocking it, but it’s moving very fast. It’s still moving by the wind, it’s heavy fuel, and it’s moving very rapidly,” Nash said.
Winds of 30 MPH are being reported on the coast. Onshore winds are temporarily boosting humidity, but weather officials told Nash they expected “to lose that when the sun comes up in the morning.”
“We’re being told by the weather service that the high is moving out, that would lessen the severity of the Santa Anas,” he said.
The forecast for Friday is “hot and dry, but not as windy,” he said.
As of 10:40 p.m., Sycamore Canyon, Yerba Buena Road and Deer Creek Canyon are all under evacuation orders. Pacific Coast Highway is closed between Mulholland Highway and Las Posas Road.
“The one thing we would say, if you’re advised to evacuate please do so promptly. The fire is moving fastly, so if you’re asked to leave, please do,” Nash said.
Brad Davis, Malibu’s emergency services coordinator, said he has not received any information indicating L.A. County or Malibu are threatened, that determination could changed at a moment’s notice.
“We have no specific information, we don’t wish to cause anybody any alarm,” Davis said. “If there are any notifications to make there county and the city will be making them.”
He said the county has scheduled a meeting at 6 a.m. Friday to determine what, if any, hazards are posted to Los Angeles by the Springs Fire, which sparked early Thursday morning in Camarillo.
8:40 update: The City of Malibu’s emergency services coordinator Brad Davis says the Springs Fire in Camarillo still does not appear to pose a threat to Malibu as of Thursday evening.The fire has burned 8,000 acres, with 10 percent containment. Fire department officials are keeping the city informed and waiting to see what happens with the winds, Davis said.
“We’re remaining fairly confident that there’s absolutely no danger to Malibu. At the same time the city’s remaining waiting to activate the [emergency operations center] if we need to,” Davis said.
The city’s emergency operations center is a communications center is essentially a communications center to provide information to the public, as well as potential evacuation information, as well as assist fire and sheriff’s officials.
Davis confirmed reports that an evacuation site is being set up at Malibu High School.
“It’s a stand-by precaution that Red Cross is taking in case an emergency evacuation center becomes necessary,” Davis said. “I’m assuming that that would be for Malibu people, they just want to keep it ready and available in case it’s needed.”
With an out-of-control brushfire burning in Ventura County, officials remain vigilant yet optimistic that the flames will not reach Malibu.
“The fire itself is impinging a good deal further west away from the city so we’ll just kind of hold on and see,” said Emergency Services Coordinator Brad Davis.
The fire sparked along the 101 freeway early Thursday morning and has burned 6,500-7,000 acres in Camarillo and Newbury Park. As of 5 p.m., the fire had reached a Ventura County portion of Point Mugu State Park.
Maria Grycan, a community services liaison for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said that an afternoon die-down of winds has helped firefighters gain some ground on the flames, though it remains 0 percent contained.
“Right now the winds have died down a lot,” Grycan said. “The firefighters are being very aggressive and have some opportunity to gain ground.”
“The only concern that we might have for Malibu at some point is if the winds shift and the eastern flank of the fire is not protected,” Grycan said. “But there’s not a lot of concern that this fire is going to make it to LA County.”
Davis said he would continue to be in contact with L.A. County Fire officials in case Malibu’s fire danger increases.
“If we need to step up our operations, we will,” Davis said.
