Westwood fire in Simi Valley grows to 25 acres; no orders to evacuate

A brush fire burning in a hilly area on the northern edge of Simi Valley has grown to about 25 acres, but no evacuation orders have been issued, officials said late Sunday afternoon.

A Ventura County fire official said “two helicopters and two tankers” along with several fire engines were dispatched to fight the Westwood fire, which is burning in the hills north of Cottonwood Drive.

A video taken in a nearby neighborhood posted on social media showed thick clouds of smoke rising behind homes as sirens blared in the distance.

“Spooky,” a woman says in the video, which was posted on Twitter. “Thank God it’s not windy.”

In other posts, the smoke seemed to subside, and observers noted that the blaze was apparently under control.

Officials said the “firefighters are making progress” and the brush fire didn’t yet threaten any “structures and critical infrastructure.”

The fire was 90% contained as of about 6:30 p.m., officials said. The cause remains under investigation, they added.

Fire officials asked that members of the public avoid the area.