Ventura County firefighters rushed to a brush fire in Simi Valley Friday afternoon amid the 90-degree weather.
The fire was reported north of Cottonwood Drive, sending smoke and flames into the air as captured by an Alert California camera.
The Cottonwood Incident began as a 5-acre fire as flames climbed uphill with a moderate rate of speed with light fuels, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.
Thirty apparatus and 79 firefighters were dispatched to the scene along with Ventura County firehawks, heavy helitankers and fixed-wing air tankers, the department added.
#CottonwoodIncident VCFD firefighters are responding to a reported brush fire in Simi Valley, north of Cottonwood Drive. Smoke and flames are visible on the Alert California camera. Initial on-scene reports estimate the fire at approximately 5 acres, burning uphill with a… pic.twitter.com/nCSewxC83U
— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) September 5, 2025