COUNTY

Brushfire east of Simi, neglected dogs rescued, gunfire in Port Hueneme, more news

Staff reports
Flames from a brush fire in the Chatsworth area, east of Simi Valley, as seen from a Los Angeles County Fire Department helicopter Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 22, 2021.

Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County and regional agencies:

Brush fire east of Simi

CHATSWORTH – Ventura County crews responded to a brush fire breaking out east of Simi Valley on Wednesday afternoon.

The fire was reported shortly after 4 p.m. in the area of Jeffrey Mark Court and Larwin Avenue in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Chatsworth.

Dubbed the "Jeffrey Fire," crews initially arrived on scene and estimated the fire measured one acre, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

By 4:25 p.m., the fire had spread to three acres and was moving uphill toward the east.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department also responded to assist Los Angeles and Ventura County firefighters on scene. Helicopters were dispatched to perform water drops on the blaze.

Forward progress of the fire was stopped by 5:35 p.m., according to crews on scene.

No injuries or property damage were initially reported as a result of the fire.

Smoke from the Jeffrey Fire,, east of Simi Valley, was visible from a Southern California Edison camera late Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 22, 2021.

Gunfire injures one

PORT HUENEME – A man shot multiple times in Port Hueneme Tuesday night was said to be in stable condition on Wednesday, authorities said.

Port Hueneme police placed yellow evidence markers at the scene of a shooting in the 700 block of West Hemlock Street Tuesday night, Sept. 21, 2021.

The shooting was reported around 10:25 p.m. in the south alley of the 700 block of West Hemlock Street, the Port Hueneme Police Department reported. The site is in a residential area on the south side of Hemlock, east of Victoria Avenue.

Officers found a 28-year-old Port Hueneme man with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital for treatment. The wounds did not appear life-threatening, officials said.

Police had not made any arrests as of 2 p.m. Wednesday and had no suspect information, the agency reported. Anyone with information is asked to contact Senior Detective Baltazar Tapia at 805-986-6619 or btapia@cityofporthueneme.org.

Dogs rescued during warrant search

Oxnard police found two neglected dogs while serving a search warrant on Mono Street on the morning of Sept. 22, 2021, authorities said. Ventura County Animal Services personnel took the dogs for immediate treatment.

OXNARD – Police serving a search warrant early Wednesday in a narcotics investigation in Oxnard also rescued two dogs described as "severely neglected," authorities said.

The search started around 5 a.m. at a home in the 2200 block of Mono Street, the Oxnard Police Department reported, following an investigation during July into a resident's alleged drug sales. The block is in the Rio Lindo neighborhood, located generally south of Highway 101 and west of the shopping center on Rose Avenue. The resident, a 39-year-old Oxnard man, was suspected of selling fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid.

The department's SWAT team and Ventura County Sheriff's Office personnel assisted detectives with the warrant service.

Oxnard police seized cash and reported fentanyl during a warrant search on Mono Street Wednesday morning, Sept. 22, 2021, authorities said.

Authorities surrounded the house and staged armored vehicles at the scene, said Oxnard police Sgt. Brandon Ordelheide. Police deployed a so-called "flash bang" device, which creates bright light and a loud bang, to get the suspect to leave the home, he said. Detectives reportedly found three types of processed fentanyl along with cash and other evidence.

Two dogs were found in the backyard. The animals were malnourished and had no food, water or shelter, according to police, and were also covered with fleas and rashes. Ventura County Animal Services personnel responded and took the animals for veterinary treatment at the county animal shelter.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of a felony drug sales offense and felony cruelty to animals, the department reported. As of Wednesday afternoon he was being treated at a hospital for an unrelated medical issue but was expected to be booked into county jail after getting medically cleared, Ordelheide said.

Los Padres forest reopens

VENTURA COUNTY – Los Padres National Forest will reopen Thursday after being closed since Aug. 31 due to wildfire activity, the U.S. Forest Service announced Wednesday.

Forest-wide closures that had also affected three other national forests in Southern California were also ending. The Angeles, Cleveland and San Bernardino forests were also set to open Thursday.

Public access to campgrounds, roads and trails will resume, officials said. But some fire restrictions remain: wood and charcoal fires are currently banned. Portable lanterns and stoves with a shut-off valve are allowed at developed campgrounds and dispersed sites for campers with a California Campfire Permit.

More than 7,500 wildfires have burned about 2.3 million acres around California this year, state fire officials said.