Wind-Whipped Day Fire Threatens Homes

Whipped by 30 mph winds, flames from a massive wildfire in Ventura County jumped two fire lines Tuesday and came dangerously close to the sparsely populated community of Lockwood Valley.

The Los Padres National Forest wildfire roared across Lockwood Valley Road, which served as a firebreak, and moved within two miles of the nearly 500 homes in the rural outpost northeast of Ojai. Flames also jumped Grade Valley Road, another fire line.

“Right now, the fire is making quite an aggressive run,� said Ventura County Fire Capt. Barry Parker. “The area that flared up yesterday -- it’s giving us more problems today.�

Calls for fire retardant-dropping aircraft and additional strike teams went out just before noon as sheriff’s deputies went door to door urging residents to leave their homes. It was the second warning given in less than 24 hours.

Still, “not many of them evacuated,� said Capt. Ron Nelson, a department spokesman.

That was not the case Monday evening. After the fire jumped 60-foot-wide bulldozer lines and advanced roughly 3,000 acres, about 100 residents decided to evacuate, but they later returned to their homes, Nelson said.

Because of its limited capacity, a temporary shelter set up at the Frazier Park Community Center was transferred Tuesday evening to Frazier Mountain High School at 700 Falcon Way in Lebec, said Chris Schwartz, a shelter manager with the Kern County chapter of the American Red Cross.

The Day fire, which authorities believe was sparked on Labor Day by someone burning debris, has consumed more than 143,000 acres and was 43% contained late Monday. No injuries have been reported or homes lost in the fire, which is estimated to have cost more than $41 million.

Larry Comerford of the U.S. Forest Service, which oversees the Los Padres National Forest, said firefighters set up several battle stations on the perimeter of Lockwood Valley to protect structures.

The Pine Mountain Club, Lake of the Woods and Pinion Pines sections of the forest remained on alert for voluntary evacuation.

Strong winds blowing from the southeast spurred much of the fire’s advance Tuesday, authorities said, but favorable overnight conditions were expected to slow the blaze. The forecast called for humidity to nearly triple, up to 60%, with winds at 10 mph or less.

Stuart Seto, a specialist with the National Weather Service office in Oxnard, said humidity should return below 20% today, with light winds of 10 mph to 15 mph. Temperatures are expected to range from the low 80s to the mid-90s through Friday.

The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District continues its smoke and particulate advisory today for northern Ventura County.

When smoke or ash are visible, residents are advised to remain indoors.

For more information on the fire, call the Ventura County Emergency Operations Center at (805) 654-3593 or visit the Sheriff’s Department’s website at www.vcsd.org, the Ventura County Fire Department at www.fire.countyofventura.org, or the U.S. Forest Service at www.inciweb.org.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.