**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SIMI VALLEY, CA — A rapidly spreading wildfire, designated the “Conejo Fire,” has prompted mandatory evacuation orders for approximately 2,000 residents in eastern Simi Valley as of 14:30 hours Pacific Time.

WHAT: A fast-moving brush fire, fueled by Santa Ana winds exceeding 40 miles per hour, has consumed an estimated 1,200 acres. Zero percent containment has been reported by Ventura County Fire Department officials. Structures are threatened in the Tierra Rejada and Oak Park neighborhoods.

WHERE: The fire ignited near the intersection of Madera Road and Tierra Rejada Golf Course, in a rural-urban interface zone approximately 35 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.

WHEN: The blaze was first reported at 09:17 AM local time. Within three hours, it had jumped temporary firebreaks and expanded into adjacent suburban communities.

WHO: First responders from Ventura County Fire, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and the Simi Valley Police Department are coordinating the incident. A unified command post has been established at Simi Valley High School. Evacuees are being directed to the Rancho Santa Susana Community Center, which has been activated as an official Red Cross shelter.

WHY: Preliminary investigations suggest a combination of critically dry vegetation following a record-low rainfall winter and powerful seasonal Santa Ana wind patterns created extreme fire behavior. A specific cause remains under active investigation, though authorities have ruled out natural lightning in the immediate area.

AUTHORITIES HAVE ISSUED A DURESS ALERT FOR THE AFFECTED ZONES. All residents in the Evacuation Warning Zone must prepare for immediate departure.