California’s Woolsey Fire Now Burning Malibu Went Through The Site Of A Nuclear Meltdown First
California’s Woolsey Fire Now Burning Malibu Went Through The Site Of A Nuclear Meltdown First
09 November 2018
Published by https://www.forbes.com/
USA – UPDATE: Flames are tearing through neighborhoods in the Malibu area as sunset approaches. Dozens of homes have reportedly been destroyed, including celebrity Caitlyn Jenner’s.
Wind and weather may continue to drive the fire’s march. According to a fire weather outlook from the National Weather Service:
“Ongoing wildfires should remain resistant to control/suppression, especially across portions of southern California, through today given the critical/extremely critical fire weather conditions.”
A mandatory evacuation is still in effect for the entire city of Malibu in southern California as a fast-moving fire dubbed the Woolsey Fire burns through the suburban hills and canyons between Simi Valley and the Pacific coast.
“Fire is now burning out of control and heading into populated areas of Malibu. All residents must evacuate immediately,” reads an afternoon update from the city.
According to the Ventura County Fire Department, the following mandatory evacuations are also in place as of 9:30 a.m.:
- Bell Canyon – Saddlebow Rd. between Maverick Ln. and Morgan Rd
- Oak Park – entire community
- Thousand Oaks – T.O. Blvd north to Sunset Hills, from Oak Park west to Highway 23
- West of Highway 23 – south of E. Olsen Road, north of Pederson Rd.
- South of Bard Lake, east of Highway 23
- South of Highway 101, east of Reino Rd., north of Potrero Rd., east to the L.A./Ventura County line
The blaze began with a brush fire ignited near the closed Santa Susana Field Laboratory (also referred to as the Rocketdyne facility) south of Simi Valley Thursday afternoon and has since grown to over 10,000 acres and claimed an undetermined number of structures.
The Rocketdyne facility was the site of a partial nuclear meltdown nearly sixty years ago and the subject of controversial and stalled cleanup efforts for decades.
“Our scientists and toxicologists have reviewed information about the fire’s location and do not believe the fire has caused any releases of hazardous materials that would pose a risk to people exposed to the smoke,” reads a statement from the California Department of Toxic Substances Control.
The state says the fire is no longer burning on the lab site.
At almost the same time the Woolsey Fire lit, another brush fire ignited in nearby Hill Canyon to the west. Ventura County firefighters reported that the Hill Fire reached the 101 freeway in less than 15 minutes after sparking to life and then jumped over it.
