Sandy Fire in Simi Valley: Crews battle blaze for 2nd day; evacuation orders and warnings remain

A smoke advisory has been issued for the city of Los Angeles due to multiple wildfires burning in the region, including the Sandy Fire in Simi Valley, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

The Los Angeles Department of Public Health is urging everyone in areas where they can smell smoke to avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure.

The Southern California Wildfire Response Fire Department is distributing N95 masks at the Red Cross located at the Rancho Simi Rec Center until 11 p.m. Tuesday. Residents are heavily encouraged to stop by and claim a mask.

The Rancho Simi Rec Center is located at 5005 E Los Angeles Ave. in Simi Valley.

An Air Quality Advisory has been issued and will be in effect until at least 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to the South Coast AQMD.

Students in the Simi Valley Unified School District will miss school again on Wednesday as the 1,698-acre Sandy Fire continues to burn.

Simi Valley USD issued a statement, writing, "Out of an abundance of caution and with the knowledge that so many of our families and staff are directly impacted by the Sandy Fire, ALL Simi Valley Unified School District schools and campuses will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, May 20, for most staff and all students."

Only key leadership will be asked to report to work, the district said.

The closure includes all after-school programs that are on Simi Valley USD campuses.

The district said it will continue to monitor the Sandy Fire and will communicate with staff and families again on Wednesday about whether or not schools will reopen on Thursday.

In the latest update, the Ventura County Fire Department said 43,702 residents are under evacuation orders, and 399 residents are under evacuation warnings. A total of 869 firefighters are working to extinguish the blaze.

The Sandy Fire burning in Simi Valley for a second day has grown to 1,698 acres, according to Cal Fire. The blaze is 5% contained.

The Sandy Fire burning in Simi Valley for a second day has grown to 1,698 acres, according to Cal Fire. The blaze is 5% contained.

Evacuation orders and warnings remain in place for thousands of Ventura County and Los Angeles County residents.

Eyewitness News watched as hundreds of firefighters from multiple departments worked to battle the blaze. As of Tuesday morning, officials said there were no structures immediately threatened.

"We have additional resources all around the containment lines of the fire. We have strike teams even around here, in case the weather changes or we have flare-ups," said Rico Standley with Ventura County Fire.

Only one home was lost in the blaze on Monday.

According to its website, the Simi Valley Unified School District has not announced if classes will resume on Monday after schools were closed on Tuesday.

Fire crews continued monitoring hotspots Tuesday morning in Simi Valley - and progress is being made.

Fire crews continued monitoring hotspots Tuesday morning in Simi Valley - and progress is being made.

As the sun rose, Los Angeles County fire crews kept a close watch on smoldering areas beneath the charred remains of a home on Trickling Brook Court.

"The poor guy was standing out in front watching his house burn down," Simi Valley resident Ron Wechsler told Eyewitness News.

"You couldn't stand here like we're standing here," he added. "The wind would blow you right off your feet. By the time we saw the fire, the fire was already on this hillside over here."

More than 750 firefighters from local and state agencies are working to contain the fire, battling it from both the ground and the air.

"We had water-dropping helicopters with night vision capabilities overnight and we will continue to utilize those assets," said Andrew Dowd, a public information officer with Ventura County Fire.

Firefighters took advantage of improved weather conditions to strengthen containment lines and target active areas of the fire. However, officials cautioned that conditions remain unpredictable.

"This is a dynamic fire. We are expecting changes in the weather. We want to be prepared for it," Dowd said.

The fire has destroyed one home in the community, and residents remain on high alert as crews continue working.