Simi Valley Wildfire Forces Evacuations in California

A rapidly spreading wildfire, dubbed the Sandy Fire, ignited on the morning of May 18, 2026, in Simi Valley, Ventura County, about 50 km northwest of Los Angeles. The blaze was reported just after 10:50 a.m. local time and quickly threatened homes and infrastructure across four zones of Simi Valley, prompting officials to issue an emergency evacuation order for those areas while only a warning was given to a small part of neighboring Thousand Oaks.

Firefighters responded with about 200 personnel, three air‑tankers and five to six helicopters working to protect structures. The fire had already consumed roughly 500 acres when authorities began evacuations. Preliminary reports suggest the ignition may have been caused by a resident clearing brush with a tractor, which struck a rock and sparked the flames. The incident affected a region home to more than 100,000 residents.