Live updates: Ventura County wildfire in Southern California fueled by powerful winds

Southern California's main electric provider cut off power intentionally overnight to tens of thousands of customers as a precaution as the Mountain Fire grows in Ventura County.

Southern California Edison says it turned off the power to 69,931 customers – including 23,603 in Ventura County – as part of its Public Safety Power Shutoff plan.

The spread of a number of past devastating wildfires has been blamed on fallen power lines that remained energized, prompting power companies to plan for broad shutoffs before that can happen again.

SoCal Edison says power shutoffs to an additional 180,000 customers due to the wildfire are "being considered."

The Mountain Fire in Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles, is spreading at a "dangerous rate," Ventura County Fire Chief Dustin Gardner said at a news conference Wednesday.

As of Thursday morning, the fire has burned more than 14,000 acres since it began Wednesday and damaged or destroyed several structures, officials said. It had 0% containment.

More than 14,000 people are under evacuation orders, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, and schools in the county are closed.

At least two people have been transported to the hospital with possible smoke inhalation, fire officials said.

A powerful and long-duration Santa Ana wind event will continue Thursday, bringing another day of gusty winds and fire weather to the region. These winds helped the Mountain Fire in Ventura County quickly spread Wednesday, damaging homes and forcing evacuations.

Winds should increase again for the Mountain Fire area Thursday morning, where the Storm Prediction Center has issued a critical fire weather risk – a level 2 of 3.

Sustained winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts of 40 to 50 mph are possible before decreasing to 10 to 20 mph with gusts of 20 to 30 mph in the afternoon.

This is a slight improvement to Wednesday, where the area was under an extremely critical fire weather risk – a level 3 of 3. It was the first level 3 of 3 risk since December 2020.