Forecasts from the National Weather Service indicated temperatures into the upper 90s, humidity at 3% and Santa Ana winds gusting to 47 mph – and this was for the first day of May. As all of Southern California has been experiencing a drought, fire agencies raced to put resources into place.
The fire season blasted into full swing in Ventura County just after 6:30 A.M. on May 2 as a roadside fire just east of Camarillo extended from Highway 101 up the Conejo Grade and was out of the reach of firefighters almost immediately. The first-arriving firefighters from Engine 52 were confronted by wind-driven flames racing up-slope and structures immediately threatened. Multiple alarms were requested and additional mutual aid strike teams were ordered. Firefighters knew that the extreme conditions meant the “Springs Fire” would quickly spread to thousands of acres.
Smoke pushed by the strong winds prevented an effective aerial attack from the eight helicopters and six air tankers assigned to the fire. The strategy of firefighters was to protect people and structures in the path of the fire and stay ahead of the weather event that was predicted to subside by evening. As predicted, the strong Santa Ana winds gave way by early morning to a more moderate on-shore breeze accompanied by higher humidity and lower temperatures. The change in weather pushed flames back into fuel beds burned the day before and let firefighters establish fire lines.
More than 2,000 firefighters from 247 engines and other resources protected more than 4,000 structures. Firefighters from as far away as Nevada contained the fire that burned 24,250 acres (40-plus square miles), destroying only 10 out-buildings and resulting in minor injuries to eight firefighters.
—Keith D. Cullom
