California canyon fire spreads to 1,000 acres, forces evacuations

By Gizem Nisa Demir

ISTANBUL (AA) – A fast-moving wildfire in Southern California grew from 50 to over 1,000 acres (405 hectares) within hours on Thursday, forcing evacuations near Lake Piru as firefighting crews launched an aggressive air and ground response, authorities said.

The Canyon Fire ignited east of Lake Piru in Ventura County during the afternoon and quickly spread into neighboring Los Angeles County, according to fire officials cited by Fox News.

“The Canyon Fire is currently burning between Los Angeles County and Ventura County in the Piru Lake area. Several zones are under evacuation order and warning,” the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.

Evacuation orders were issued for the Lake Piru Recreation Area and surrounding communities, with evacuation warnings extended to ranches at the west end of Holser Canyon, according to NBC 4.

Firefighting aircraft refilled at Lake Piru as ground crews worked to contain the fast-moving flames.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

It is one of at least four active wildfires in the region. California has already seen more than 4,400 fires this year, burning over 221,000 acres (89,500 hectares) — nearly triple the area scorched by the same time last year, according to state figures cited by NBC 4.