Evacuation orders were rapidly expanding. Major utilities had also cut power in the region to prevent their equipment from igniting new fires.

Wind gusts topping 70 mph in the San Gabriel Mountains are providing a taste of the conditions that are expected to continue into Thursday.

Strong Santa Ana winds are expected to start sweeping across parts of Southern California by Wednesday, Nov. 6 — prompting concerns about potential wildfires. “All the wind-prone areas in Ventura and Los Angeles counties are going to see pretty significant winds starting late (Tuesday) night or early Wednesday morning,

The uncontained Mountain Fire spread to 1,500 acres just before noon and was burning north of Highway 118 near the communities of Moorpark, Camarillo and Somis. Flames crossed Highway 118 and were impacting the Camarillo Heights area, the Ventura County Fire Department said on X just before 11 a.m.

A brush fire in the Moorpark area of Ventura County is burning about 1,000 acres on Wednesday, prompting evacuation orders according to the Ventura County Fire Department.