Dramatic video shows devastating speed of SoCal wildfire — and firefighters’ swift response

As firefighters battle a growing Ventura County wildfire that threatens to spread into LA County, first responders are working against the clock to turn the tide against the raging blaze.

A video showed a fire flare-up in a parklet between homes on Sequoia Avenue in southeastern Ventura County, but was quickly extinguished Tuesday thanks to the help of firefighters and a helicopter water drop.

Whipping wind spread the brush fire to a nearby tree, enveloping it in flames in the video before it was put out, with heavy smoke and ash filling the air.

“Sandy Fire flareup! Flames roared into a little parklet between homes on Sequoia Avenue in southeastern Ventura County. No homes were damaged. Moments after the flareup, we were drenched with a welcome helicopter water drop,” KCLU News Director Lance Orozco wrote on X.

Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters are still battling the ferocious Sandy Fire in Southern Ventura County, which threatens to spread south into LA County. Several evacuation orders and warnings are in effect.

An update from the fire at 5:35 a.m. showed 15% containment, with it spread 1,698 acres. The blaze still threatens hundreds of homes in Simi Valley.

A media update around 9 p.m. Tuesday night shed optimism on the fight against the Sandy Fire.

“Firefighters will continue to fight the fire overnight from the air and the ground, taking full advantage of the cooler temperatures and higher humidities,” Cal Fire said at 9:23 p.m. Tuesday.

Earlier in the night, the agency reported the fire experienced “significant growth” because of “shifting winds, steep terrain, and canyon-driven fire behavior.”