On Sunday Nov.19 Ventura City Fire personnel responded to multiple, simultaneous fires reported in the general area of the NB -101 / EB-126 freeway interchange, during a period of gusty winds.Structures at a nearby mobile home park were initially reported to be threatened, prompting a full first-alarm structure fire response to that location, but were quickly determined to be non-threatened upon arrival of units in that area. First arriving engine companies responding to the reported structure fire found a large body of wind-driven fire, in heavy brush and trees, moving rapidly across the freeway interchange area. The fire was spotting well ahead of itself and across the freeway, with flame lengths up to 40 feet. Additional companies responded to a nearby downwind location where several palm trees had ignited and were casting a large shower of embers over several commercial buildings. The fire, smoke, and crews operating in the area, resulted in closures of the 101 freeway in both NB and SB directions, as well as the EB 126. The two separate incidents eventually were merged into one single incident, and through a prolonged cooperative effort, involving multiple agencies, the fire was contained and ultimately suppressed. The origin of the fire was reportedly in the vicinity of a homeless encampment and remains under investigation.

Residents of a single family home located in the 700 block of Montgomery Ave. were awakened to the smell of smoke and the sound of fire alarms in the early dawn of Nov.27.. The home owner quickly ran into the living room from his bedroom and witnessed the television set and the items on top of an adjacent hutch– on fire. He evacuated his wife and 1 year old child and grabbed an extinguisher and fought the blaze.

Ventura City Firefighters were on scene in 3 minutes and ensured the fire was completely extinguished and performed salvage and overhaul to preserve as much personal property as possible and mitigated damages. The fire remained contained to the entertainment center. Whereas the fire directly entered the wall cavity through a wall speaker, an investigation with a thermal camera discovered that the heat and smoke damage was contained within the wall due to fire blocking.

A common military phrase often used by one of Ventura’s Police Commanders, ‘Victory Favors the Prepared’, was evident this morning. An unattended candle started the fire on a credenza that spread to a speaker and television. However, based on the preparation of the resident, a complete disaster was avoided and now the emergency is relegated to being an inconvenience.

A modern whole house smoke detector system, quick access to a fire extinguisher, swift actions by the occupant, and quick response by the fire department are credited in minimizing the emergency.

The Ventura City Fire Department would like to remind residents to be careful in placing and using candles and make sure they are never placed near combustibles, nor ever unattended. Additionally, as temperatures fall and the use of heaters increase, we are asking residents to have older furnaces and floor heaters inspected, a common cause of fires in older homes.