A wind-driven wildfire erupted outside Los Angeles forcing an evacuation of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and nearby residential neighborhoods early Wednesday, officials said.
At least 800 firefighters are battling the Easy fire in Simi Valley, about 50 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, a Ventura County dispatcher said.
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The library and museum announced it was closed for business Wednesday: “Thank you to all the first responders working so hard to protect our area.”
“It’s getting close up to the Reagan Library, so we’re conducting an evacuation,” Simi Valley police Cmdr. Adam Darough told NBC News.
The blaze was first reported at about 6 a.m. local time, and by 7:50 a.m. it had charred at least 200 acres, officials said. And 30 minutes later, Ventura County fire officials tweeted that the fire had grown to 407 acres and was spreading.
Just before 9:15 a.m., the fire had torched at least 972 acres, officials said.
Winds along mountaintops in the area were gusting upto 70 mph, the National Weather Service said shortly after 8 a.m., adding, “We are seeing strong winds at lower elevations too.”
The Reagan Library sits in the middle of a zone designated for mandatory evacuations in southeastern Ventura County. The area includes residential neighborhoods, and residents of 5,000 homes were evacuated, a Ventura County spokeswoman said.
Classes were canceled at nearby Moorpark College and at all public schools in Moorpark and Simi Valley on Wednesday.
The area’s highways, State Routes 23 and 118, were largely closed due to the fires.
This is a developing story, please check back for updates
