California Wildfires: Hill Fire Shuts Highway 101, Butte County Blaze Burns Structures

UPDATE: 11.30 p.m. EST - The Hill Fire has now spread to 10,000 acres. At least three evacuation centers have been opened in Ventura County. The Camp Fire has consumed at least 20,000 acres. Mandatory evacuation orders are in effect for Paradise, Magalia, Concow, Butte Creek Canyon and Butte Valley.

Original story:

A wildfire that broke out in the Santa Rosa Valley near Camarillo Springs, California, on Thursday afternoon scorched approximately 8,000-10,000 acres, forcing officials to close U.S. Highway 101 in both directions.

The blaze, dubbed the Hill Fire, triggered mandatory evacuations of some 1,200 homes. Ventura County officials said evacuations were ordered for the Camarillo Springs area and California State University, Channel Islands campus.

"Students who live on campus have been asked to evacuate and go home, stay with a friend or head north of the campus. Students may also go to St. Mary Magdalen Church at 25 North Las Posas Road, Camarillo," campus officials said in a statement, Noozhawk reported. All schools in the county will be closed Friday.

An evacuation center was set up at the Borchard Community Center, 190 Reino Road in Newbury Park on Thursday afternoon.

Venture County star reported that 3,500 to 5,000 structures were threatened by the fire. Several vehicles were also trapped, including those on Highway 101. The officials were working to rescue the drivers. Reports also suggested that some sheriff’s deputies were trapped in the blaze and rescue crews were alerted to one possible injury.

KTLA 5 reported that a few hours after the fire broke out, aerial video showed a home, trucks and trailers burning in the area of Old Conejo Road and Vista Conejo on the western end of Thousand Oaks. The transmission towers for power lines also appeared to be in the path of the blaze.

The National Weather Service issued a red flag fire warning signaling possible fire danger across Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange counties through Friday night, with winds gusts predicted to be between 60 and 70 mph in the mountains and between 40 and 50 mph in the valleys and coasts.

Another wildfire raging across California is the Camp Fire which has scorched over 18,000 acres in Butte County, with zero percent contained. The raging fire forced tens of thousands of residents to leave their homes Thursday. Several injuries were reported, however, there were no confirmed fatalities.

“This fire is very dangerous, please evacuate if asked to do so!” Cal Fire officials said on Twitter.

Butte County Sheriff's Office said evacuation order was issued for areas of Paradise, a community of 27,000 people. Paradise Post reported that at least 60 patients were evacuated from the Feather River Hospital and evacuations were also issued for a retirement home and Ponderosa Elementary School.

Several structures were lost in the blaze including a McDonald’s building, a Mormon church, a Black Bear Diner and the town’s wood welcome sign, San Francisco Gate reported.

A state of emergency was declared for Butte County by acting California Gov. Gavin Newsom.