OAN Staff Abril Elfi
1:44 PM – Friday, August 8, 2025
Evacuations have been ordered in Ventura County and Los Angeles County due to a fast-moving wildfire.
A fast-moving wildfire, now known as the “Canyon Fire,” broke out on Thursday near Lake Piru on the Ventura–Los Angeles County line. Evacuation orders were issued in both Ventura and Los Angeles counties, including areas such as Val Verde, Halsey Canyon, and Santa Clarita, affecting thousands of residents.
Authorities stated on Thursday that the Canyon fire started at 1:30 p.m. and later spread over more than 7.6 square miles by 11:00 p.m.
Lake Piru is a reservoir in the Los Padres National Forest. In proximity to landmarks, the fire is burning within 5 miles of Six Flags Magic Mountain, though the park remains open as of now.
It is also close to Castaic Lake, a popular leisure area that was destroyed by the previous Hughes fire in January. In the Hughes fire, it burnt around 15 square miles and forced 50,000 people to evacuate.
According to Andrew Dowd, a spokesperson for the Ventura County Fire Department, around 4,200 individuals and 1,400 structures in Los Angeles County are now under an evacuation order, while another 12,500 are under an evacuation notice.
Dowd also noted that the most recent fire is a “very dynamic situation” caused by hot, dry weather, in addition to steep, rugged terrain and dry fuel.
KTLA reported that containment moved up to 25% as of 10:00 a.m. on Friday, with more than 400 personnel working overnight in steep terrain and hot, dry conditions.
“We’re going to continue constructing firelines, providing structure defense and reinforcing control lines,” said Dowd. “Our firefighters are working tirelessly through the day in rugged terrain and high temperatures, and we’re hoping to see that containment number increase.”
Nearly 3,000 residents remain under evacuation orders in both Ventura and Los Angeles counties as of Friday afternoon. There have been no reports of injuries.
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