Over 43,000 Simi Valley residents were told to flee a wildfire, and authorities say it could reach LA County

Firefighters are working around the clock as the Sandy Fire continues to burn across 1,698 acres in Ventura County, leaving residents in Simi Valley under urgent evacuation orders. The blaze started on May 18, 2026, at 10:50 AM and reached 5 percent containment as of the latest reports. Shifting winds and steep canyon terrain have made conditions extremely difficult for the 750 firefighters deployed on scene.

Authorities issued an immediate threat to life warning, with a lawful order to leave now and the affected areas closed to public access. Evacuation orders are in effect for several zones, including BELL-01 through BELL-05, BURR-01, CHES-01, MEIC-01, SASU-01, SASHU-02, and specific areas labeled Simi Valley 27, 28, 32a, 33, 34, and 35. Residents in those zones were directed to follow all instructions from local officials without delay.

Beyond the mandatory orders, evacuation warnings extend to additional surrounding zones across the region. As detailed by UNILAD, an emergency shelter is open at the Rancho Santa Susana Community Park at 5005 E Los Angeles Avenue in Simi Valley, with animal services providing facilities for small domestic animals at the Simi Valley Animal Shelter and the Camarillo Animal Shelter, and large animals at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

The fire near the Reagan Library has Southern California braced for a spread into LA County

Air resources have proven critical, with water-dropping helicopters and air tankers working alongside ground crews to suppress the flames. As of the update posted on May 19, 2026 at 9:24 PM, crews were continuing operations from both air and ground, taking advantage of cooler temperatures and higher humidity. Firefighters had successfully protected threatened structures despite significant earlier growth driven by canyon winds.

Simi Valley is home to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, the burial site for the 40th US President and his wife Nancy, which confirmed it was closed due to the fire. The blaze is being tracked on the CAL FIRE incident page as an active, evolving threat, and its potential path toward LA County remains a central concern. Amid a California court verdict against Elon Musk drawing major statewide attention, authorities also warned that the evacuation map experienced technical issues, and residents should seek updates through official Ventura County emergency channels.

Another large fire on Santa Rosa Island has grown to 14,600 acres and is not yet contained, posing a significant risk to local wildlife including island foxes and elephant seals. Investigations into the causes of both fires are ongoing, amid Trump’s biggest primary win yet in Kentucky competing for national headlines. California recorded over 8,000 fires burning more than 500,000 acres in 2025, and while 2026 has seen fewer structures destroyed so far, the Sandy Fire’s rapid expansion has left over 43,000 residents displaced.