A group of people stood murmuring, cell phones out, standing in clusters along the dusty road, watching through the smoke-choked evening air as dark orange flames waved in the wind, the glow of fire surrounding them on every side.
After 14 hours of struggle , officials said it was a "miracle" that the small, artsy, pastoral town of Ojai barely survived an attack by a wildfire swallowing mountains and valleys surrounding it, residents of the Town chatted nervously. Sitting on the hoods of pickup trucks, some in face masks, they recorded the fire again as it teetered toward their town.
A 48-year-old citizen, a wiry ironworker with eyes watery and bloodshot from the acrid smoke. He said "This is an evil beast. It has a mind of its own." And also mentioned that This isn't the first time that this happens.
the Thomas Fire hasn't stopped lunging for Ojai since it began Monday. Citizens described the nightmare, when flames raced just four miles outside the city. Each morning, though, its residents wake up to a town still standing.
Ojai a prime bait for an uncontrollable wildfire, Nestled in a valley up in the mountains of Ventura County. There are only two single-lane roadways leading out, portions of which are already blocked. If the blaze suddenly engulfed the town, as it nearly had Also has been predicted to do, and further cut off and block many roads, many people would be stuck. Many of Its 7,000 citizens also reside in neighborhoods Blocked by dusty trails, and dried woods, or own orchards and ranches. it's a perfect fire fuel.
Ventura County Fire Capt, said early Friday "Ojai still the front line," .
Also President Trump has declared an emergency in the state of California as wildfires continue to burn tens of thousands of acres across the californie and destroy hundreds of homes.
But for almost a week, Ojai, the community known for its spiritual retreats, spas, and art galleries, has been at the crux of the Thomas Fire, burned about 133,000 acres and is far from contained, "a fork of flames" funneled over the mountains and through pastures on monday, surrounded the town as up to 100 mph winds drove the fire to people's doorsteps, horse stables, and lawns filled with children's toys and trampolines.
Scott Quirarte is a captain and public information officer with the Ventura County Fire Department, he said "The fire is coming at it from two Directions, and The way the valley sits, some portions are covered from the winds and others are not. The Problem is, the wind keeps changing, also It's extremely rare we have had such high winds for such a long period of time."
luckly, due a Big change in winds and sheer willpower, Many firefighters have been able to stave off flames from consuming the center.
flashing trucks remained parked along winding roads and outside vulnerable homes Throughout the night and in the early hours Friday morning. Also Bulldozers and crews with hand tools cleared out all debris while aircrafts fly overhead, pouring water into the belly of the blaze.
Ventura County Fire Capt. Robert Welsbie said Thursday night "Spot fires keep jumping out ahead of us. We have embers going 60 to 70 miles per hour. That's like a car down a freeway," his eyes never leaving the ranch where, at any second, he expected the fire to come crawling down a ranch's driveway. "Ojai is in the middle of these wind shifts. It's like a war zone." And Although So many people heeded mandatory evacuation orders, others stayed, refusing to leave their homes behind them. In a standstill, with nearly all the town's businesses shut and streetlights dark, Ojai citizens assembled on street corners to swap stories of how they narrowly beat back the beast.
"I've ever seen something like this. I left and turned around and came back," said Salisbury, crossing his arms and nodding toward his trailer home where he's lived for nearly 20 years. "I was in the Navy. It's my house. I had to fight for it."
"it was Like a freight train barreling toward you," Frank Werberger said of the flames while sitting next to several fire trucks. Frank is a 52 years -old and he says he hasn't slept and has been wearing the same white T-shirt since he took his two kids and mother down the hill "before it got really bad."
Brett Law is a 46 years old man he said while Brushing ash off his shoulder he had hunkered down in his ranch house, guarding his chickens as fires stopped an eighth of a mile from their ranch. "It sounds crazy, but you think you can beat it. We've all been through fires before, You just don't want to lose everything you have. I live by myself. It's all I have."
On Friday Early morning , Ojai emerged breathing another sigh of relief. For the second night in a row, the rough winds forecasted to drive the flames from its perch did not reach their full potential. Weary but smiling, people ordered lattes at Coffee Connections. Nearby, a man walked his dog past the hardware store.
Meantime, down near the ocean at their camp at Ventura County Fairgrounds, fire officials Talk how the flames had burned the northern edge of the valley and warned of another extraordinary wind pattern. The red flag weather warning, which has been continuously extended all week, is now expected to last through Sunday.
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