1100-acre brush fire in Ventura County closes Highway 101

A wildfire in Southern California has forced the temporary closure of one of the main interstate highways, as well as mandatory evacuations in the area, which is threatened by the fast-spreading blaze ravishing hundreds of acres of land.

Fire investigators say they still don’t know what started this fire, but at this point it’s only 10 percent contained.

The Orange County Fire Authority Saturday said it has sent a strike team to assist in battling a wind-driven brush fire in Solimar Beach in Ventura County that has consumed at least 1,200 acres. Overall, two firefighters suffered minor injuries while battling the wildfire. At that time, there were over 500 firefighters on the scene or en route.

“There was nobody stopping us on the highway as we got closer and closer, so we thought it was totally safe for us to drive past it”, Maaike Maks told CNN. However, no homes burned and the evacuations were lifted by nightfall.

Fire officials had earlier reported that parts of the Pacific Coast Highway also were closed, but a fire department spokeswoman said that only a portion that overlaps 101 was closed.

Highway 101 and the Pacific Coast Highway, which is also designated as California Highway 1, are heavily traveled corridors in Ventura County and carry motorists between Los Angeles and central California. The fire grew rapidly from there, consuming about 250 acres an hour in its early stage, Berry said.

The Solimar Beach community, with 50 to 60 homes, and a nearby campground were under a mandatory evacuation order.

The California Highway Patrol reopened both directions of the 101 Freeway shortly before 2 p.m. Saturday, but with chances for strong winds starting up again those plans could change.

Drivers had started turning around and heading the opposite direction on the wrong side of the 101 after encountering the fire, Ventura County officials said during a press conference.

Approximately 600 firefighters from various companies were fighting the blaze, trying to protect some 30 to 35 houses in the area from being destroyed.