Sandy Fire in Southern California forces tens of thousands to evacuate

The wind‑driven Sandy Fire ignited on Monday near Simi Valley in Ventura County, California, and quickly spread across the hills northwest of Los Angeles. By Tuesday it had consumed more than two square miles (about 5.5 km²) of dry brush, destroyed one home and prompted evacuation orders for tens of thousands of residents. Local authorities reported evacuation numbers ranging from over 17,000 to about 29,000 people, while firefighters deployed roughly 500 personnel, water‑dropping aircraft and helicopters to combat the blaze. CalFire said wind gusts reached 30–55 km/h, but calmer winds overnight helped achieve about 5 % containment. The cause remains under investigation and no injuries have been reported so far. The fire follows a recent heat wave that left vegetation unusually dry, raising concerns in a region still recovering from earlier wildfires.