Sandy Fire in Simi Valley: Thousands remain under evac orders as blaze now 22% contained

Multiple wildfires burning across Southern California are impacting air quality and spreading smoke and ash across several communities, prompting health warnings from officials.

The Sandy Fire in Ventura County entered its third day on Tuesday as shifting winds and rising temperatures were reported in Glendale, Pasadena, Monrovia and as far as Chino Hills.

Residents reported the air "smelled like an ashtray," though experts caution that smell alone is not a reliable indicator of air quality.

Fires in Riverside County - the Bain and Verona fires - as well as the Santa Rosa Island Fire in Santa Barbara County are also contributing to pollution levels across the region.

READ MORE | Air quality concerns rise as smoke from several SoCal wildfires spreads. Here's what you should know

Multiple wildfires burning across Southern California are impacting air quality and spreading smoke and ash across several communities, prompting health warnings from officials.

As the Sandy Fire continues to burn for the third straight day, firefighters appear to be making progress, boosting containment to 15%.

As the Sandy Fire continues to burn for the third straight day, firefighters appear to be making progress, boosting containment to 15%.

"We have 869 firefighters from agencies all across California assisting in this firefight," said Ventura County Fire Public Information Officer Andrew Dowd. "Throughout the night, we did see some active spotting of fire across in different locations, and the fire continues to push to the east. We were able to put adequate resources in place to both attack the fire directly and provide structured defense."

Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft conducted water drops overnight as crews worked to slow the fire's spread and protect additional neighborhoods. Though damage assessments were still underway, crews continued to address hot spots across rugged terrain.

"At this point, we can still confirm that there's one resident's home that has been destroyed by the fire," said Dowd. "We don't have the confirmation of any additional damaged homes, but we have teams out there assessing that right now."

Fire officials said calmer winds Tuesday helped firefighting efforts. Dowd said there are 4,300 residents under evacuation orders.

Meantime, the Simi Valley Unified School District canceled classes for a second consecutive day.

The Sandy Fire continues to burn in Simi Valley, but crews have increased containment to 15%. Nearly 1,700 acres have burned.

Video from overnight shows flames coming down the hill above a neighborhood as the wind pushed the fire into new areas.

Crews conducted water drops through the night as they try to gain control.

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.