Mandatory evacuation orders were issued Thursday afternoon for the Lake Piru and Val Verde areas as a wildfire burned nearby amid searing mid-summer temperatures across much of Southern California, officials said
The Canyon fire has grown to roughly 1,051 burned acres near Val Verde, straddling Los Angeles and Ventura counties, according to Watch Duty. Officials also issued less-severe evacuation warnings for parts of the area.
Val Verde is an unincorporated community in the southeastern Topatopa Mountains foothills in northwestern LA County near the Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park. Further northeast on the Ventura County side of the Topatopa Mountains is Lake Piru. It is a popular camping destination within the Los Padres National Forest.
Ventura County fire has deployed roughly 100 firefighters and 50 various types of firefighting apparatuses including, two heavy tanker trucks, and nine total aircrafts, according to a county spokesperson. Light winds of 5 mph are pushing the fire towards the east.
The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately known.
Residents can find the evacuation zones here.
This is a developing story.