Brush fire in Simi Valley area brings firefighters Saturday

Firefighters responded to a brush fire in the Simi Valley area late Saturday morning that brought air tankers to the scene for a time.

The blaze was reported shortly after 11 a.m. in an area generally north of Lost Canyons Drive and west of Tapo Canyon Regional Park.

The incident, name the Tapo Fire, was burning at or near the grounds of the Big Sky Movie Ranch, said Engineer Mike Des Forges, a spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department. The site is north of city limits.

As of about noon, the Tapo fire was estimated at 5 acres with the potential to reach 10 or 15 acres, crews at the scene said. The blaze was said to be in an area with light fuel and had a slow rate of spread.

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The response included air tankers, helicopters, water tenders, dozers and multiple engines and other equipment.

The air tankers were released after noon when crews had a line around the majority of the fire. Helicopters were released not long after, and at about 12:40 p.m. the fire had been contained. Work at the scene was expected to continue until about 3:30 p.m.

Two structures were threatened early, including what appeared to be a house that was about 50 feet from the fire. Ultimately, no structures were damaged and no injuries were reported.

National Weather Service forecasts for the area called for a high of about 101 degrees Saturday, with low humidity also in the mix. A heat advisory was issued through 8 p.m. Sunday.

Gretchen Wenner covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at gretchen.wenner@vcstar.com or 805-437-0270.

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