Dozens of Ventura County schools will close as a result the devastating mountain fire which has crossed thousands of hectares and continues to grow on Wednesday.
The wildfire burned more than 25,000 acres within five hours of sparking just before 9 a.m. and erupted about five miles west of Moorpark in the Somis area, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. It injured people and houses burned down as firefighters focused their attention on rescue efforts, authorities said.
“Firefighters were immediately working to pull people from their homes and save lives,” Ventura County Fire Chief Trevor Johnson said Wednesday afternoon as the fire remained at 0% contained.
School officials in multiple cities have announced closures and other precautions as many in the province face mandatory evacuations, including keeping students indoors at schools that remain open but are widespread smoke and ash in the air.
“Our hearts break for our Camarillo families who have lost their homes,” the Pleasant Valley School District said as they announced the closures. “We know our students have been affected by the events of the day. When we return to school, all schools will have plans in place to support the mental health needs of our students.”
Parents and guardians will be notified of any campus evacuations or other changes to the current situation, school officials said. Some campuses are closed due to power outages, which utilities have issued to prevent further wildfire risks.
Schools, neighborhoods closed on Thursday, November 7
- ACE Charter High School
- Mesa Union School District
- Santa Paula Unified School District (11 campuses)
- Bridges Charter School
- Briggs School District
- Campus Canyon College Preparatory Academy
- CAPE Charter School
- Chaparral High School
- Golden Valley Charter School Resource Center
- High School at Moorpark College
- Hueneme Elementary School District (11 campuses)
- Ivy Tech Charter School Resource Center
- MATES Charter School
- Mupu primary school district
- Oxnard School District – K-8 (18 campuses)
- Oxnard Union High School District (13 campuses)
- Peach Hill Academy
- Peak Prep Academy Resource Center
- Pleasant Valley School District (12 campuses)
- Rio School District (9 campuses)
- River Oaks Academy Resource Centers (Oxnard and Westlake)
- Santa Clara Elementary School District
- Santa Paula Unified School District (11 campuses)
- Somis Union School District
- University Preparatory Charter School
- Vista Real Charter High School (Camarillo, Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Ventura)
Schools and districts closed on Friday, November 8
- ACE Charter High School
- Mesa Union School District (2 campuses)
- Santa Paula Unified School District (11 campuses)
Classes at Moorpark College were canceled Wednesday due to disruptions, and officials said there would be an update on possible closures for the rest of the week at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The Moorpark Unified School District announced Wednesday afternoon that it is working to keep as many schools open as possible — with plans to have all campuses in that district open by Friday, Nov. 8.
The following list of district schools in Moorpark remains open on Thursday, November 7 although officials said that could change if SoCal Edison decides to cut power to the campuses. Families will be notified by 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 7 if that happens.
- Arroyo West Elementary School
- Flory Academy of Sciences and Technology School
- Mesa Verde High School
- Mountain pasture school
- Moorpark High School
- Walnut Canyon Kindergarten
The latest updates on Ventura County school closures can also be found here, while ongoing updates on evacuation orders and other emergency information and resources can be found here.
