09-08-2025
Canyon Fire: Authorities downgrade evacuation orders to warnings as containment increases
Crews have continued to battle a fast-moving blaze that ignited in remote, steep terrain southeast of Lake Piru, burning nearly 5,400 acres and destroying two structures.
The Canyon Fire was reported around 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 7 in the 6700 block of Holser Canyon Road, near Piru and the Ventura and Los Angeles county line. Flames quickly threatened ranches and other properties in the rural area, prompting evacuations as hundreds of firefighters responded.
The fire had burned nearly 5,400 acres as of Friday afternoon and containment had reached 28%.
The neighboring counties were in unified command of the incident as the blaze grew quickly. Cooler conditions on the first night allowed firefighters to start building a line around the blaze, authorities said. Those lines held as temperatures heated up again Friday, said Andrew Dowd, a spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department.
"We did have some spots that flared up throughout the day," he said. "Overall, great progress on continuing to knock down this blaze."
A few firefighters had minor injuries, officials said, and two structures, likely outbuildings, were reportedly destroyed. There were no reports of residential losses, but Dowd said a team would be continuing to assess damage.
Canyon Fire burns into LA County
On Day 1, the fire grew to more than 1,000 acres within the first few hours, burning away from the town of Piru and toward Los Angeles County. Temperatures soared to 100 degrees as firefighters worked in the steep, rugged terrain.
Multiple helicopters and air tankers dropped water and retardant, trying to protect properties and box in the blaze, which was spotting out in front of itself, officials said. By late in the day, flames were burning in both counties, but the head of the fire had moved into Hasley Canyon in Los Angeles County.
Overnight, authorities reported firefighters made progress as conditions turned cooler. But the fire continued to grow, from 4,800 acres late Thursday to nearly 5,400 Friday afternoon. Containment, however, also increased.
Firefighters will continue to patrol, battle any flare-ups and protect structures in the area, Dowd said late Friday.
"This fire is not over yet," he said. "We're going to remain vigilant."
Authorities downgrade evacuation orders
Thousands were under evacuation orders in Ventura and Los Angeles counties as the fire grew. Locally, the Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services downgraded evacuation orders to warnings late Friday. A warning means people should be prepared to leave, but the threat is not yet imminent.
"Residents are strongly urged to follow official instructions, stay informed through trusted emergency channels, and evacuate immediately when directed," OES officials said, in an online update.
The evacuation warnings included areas east of Piru Canyon Road to the Los Angeles County line and east of Center Street and Highway 126 to the Los Angeles County line. The Lake Piru Recreation Area also was under an evacuation warning.
A previous evacuation warning in place for areas northwest and northeast of the lake was lifted. A map of evacuation zones was available at
Authorities warn of unhealthy air quality
The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District issued an air quality alert because of unhealthy conditions caused by the Canyon Fire. Smoke and ash from wildfires contain very small particles that can harm the lungs and heart, and Piru, Fillmore, Santa Paula and neighboring communities could be affected, officials said.
Conditions deteriorated overnight Thursday into Friday when winds switched direction toward Ventura County, according to the district. By Friday afternoon, onshore winds returned and were expected to help conditions improve locally.
Smoke from the Gifford Fire, which has burned more than 100,000 acres in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, also was expected to continue to affect air quality in parts of the county.
For more information and a map of Ventura County evacuation areas, visit To sign up for local emergency alerts, go to
Cheri Carlson covers the environment and county government for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at or 805-437-0260.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Canyon Fire: Here's the latest on evacuations and containment
Solve the daily Crossword
