Scenic Calif. highway reopens as firefighters continue to battle blaze

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[h=4]Scenic Calif. highway reopens as firefighters continue to battle blaze[/h]Officials say it could take 3 days to get the fire northwest of Ventura under control

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Fire officials said firefighters were battling a 1,000+ acre brush fire fanned by gusty winds that began Friday in Solimar Beach, California. Evacuations are currently underway and road closures have been implemented. USA TODAY


Pilot Jim Dalton and crew, Ventura County Aviation Unit's Copter 7, fight a fire northwest of Ventura, Calif.(Photo: Ventura Co. Aviation Unit)


A stretch of scenic coastal highway in Southern California has reopened as firefighters continue to battle a 1,200-acre fire near Ventura, Calif.
The 15-mile stretch of Highway 101 was reopened in both directions on Saturday, but it could take three days to contain the wind-driven blaze, according to officials.
Fire officials said more than 600 firefighters and four fixed-wing tankers were being thrown at the fire, which was only 10% contained by Saturday afternoon.
The blaze, which swelled to over 1,200 acres after erupting late Friday, shut down both Highway 101 and the Pacific Coast Highway, two critical routes for holiday travelers. According to AP, a stretch of Pacific Coast Highway is still closed.
The Solimar Beach area, about 10 miles northwest of Ventura, was under mandatory evacuation orders, and authorities urged residents in nearby beach communities to leave the area, according to Capt. Mike Lindbery of the Ventura County Fire Department.

A 900-acre fire erupted west of Ventura, Calif., on Dec. 26, 2015, shutting down HIghway 101 and the Pacific Coast HIghway..<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Ventura Co. Aviation Unit)

"This is a very dynamic fire. This is not a contained fire. We're not out of the woods yet," Norm Plott, division chief of Ventura County Fire Department, told reporters.
Authorities said about 30 homes were threatened by the fire, which began around 10:30 p.m. local time Friday.
The National Weather Service predicted sustained winds over 60 mph in Ventura County for Saturday evening.
Lindbery said that more than 600 firefighters were sent to battle the fire that is feeding off thousands of acres of drought-stricken forest and grasslands.
The city of Ventura is about 65 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
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