Ventura County Fire Department

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Ventura County Fire is an all-hazard, full-service agency with more than 580 dedicated men and women. We proudly provide fire protection, medical aid, rescue, hazardous materials response, and a variety of other services to the public.

06/05/2026

Investing in the future of fire and emergency medical services.
VCFD is proud to partner with Newbury Park High School and Conejo Valley Unified School District to provide supervised clinical ride-along experiences for students enrolled in the school's EMT program.

This year, through a newly established multi-year affiliation agreement, eight high school EMT students completed clinical ride-outs aboard VCFD rescue ambulances and fire apparatus, including RA30, RA41, RA50, and ME34. Working alongside our firefighter-paramedics and firefighter EMTs, these 17- and 18-year-old students gained valuable hands-on experience, completed required clinical hours, and learned firsthand what it means to serve their community as emergency responders.

Programs like this help create a direct pathway from the classroom to careers in EMS, healthcare, and the fire service while developing the next generation of public safety professionals right here in Ventura County.

A special thank you to all the VCFD personnel who mentored these students and made this partnership a success. We look forward to continuing to support these future EMTs and firefighters for years to come.
County of Ventura - Government
Newbury Park High

06/05/2026

Training Burn Successfully Completed in Fillmore — Today, VCFD firefighters, alongside mutual aid partners from Fillmore Fire, Los Angeles County Fire Department, Los Angeles Fire Department, Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District, Orange County Fire Authority, and Santa Barbara County Fire Department, successfully completed a live-fire training burn on a 9-acre grass field in Fillmore.

The burn provided hands-on training for firefighters participating in a State Ignition Operations course, allowing students to gain practical experience with prescribed fire planning, ignition techniques, drip torch operations, holding operations, and control line construction.

In addition to meeting course objectives, the project reduced dry grass fuels near the community ahead of the Fourth of July season, helping improve community safety and wildfire preparedness.

Training opportunities like this strengthen regional mutual aid partnerships, build firefighter proficiency, and demonstrate how prescribed fire can be safely used as an effective fuel reduction tool.

Thank you to all participating agencies and personnel who helped make today’s training a success.

County of Ventura - Government
Los Angeles Fire Department
Los Angeles County Fire Department
Fillmore City Fire Department
Orange County Fire Authority
Santa Barbara County Fire Department

Today, VCFD and our partners are actively reducing wildfire risk across the county through a variety of fuels management...
06/01/2026

Today, VCFD and our partners are actively reducing wildfire risk across the county through a variety of fuels management projects designed to protect communities in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).

In Thousand Oaks, specifically the Rancho area by the 101 and 23 freeways, crews and a tracked masticator are reducing hazardous vegetation and creating strategic fuel breaks to help slow the spread of future wildfires.

Near Long Canyon in Simi Valley, targeted goat grazing is being used to naturally reduce invasive grasses and other flashy fuels while minimizing environmental impacts.

In Upper Ojai, partners are conducting a 65-acre prescribed burn to safely remove excess vegetation under carefully planned conditions, reducing fuel loads.

No single tool solves the wildfire challenge. Mechanical treatment, prescribed grazing, and prescribed fire each play an important role in creating healthier, more fire-resilient landscapes.

These proactive projects represent a balanced approach between wildfire safety, environmental stewardship, and community protection. By reducing hazardous fuels before a fire starts, we can improve firefighter safety, strengthen defensible space, protect critical infrastructure, and reduce the intensity and spread of future wildfires.

The Ventura County Fire Department continues to seek collaborative fuels management and wildfire resilience projects throughout the county to help create safer, more fire-adapted communities.

Together, we're building a more resilient Ventura County.

County of Ventura - Government

City of Simi Valley Government

City of Thousand Oaks - Local Government

June 1 - Brush Clearance Safety Reminder — As you complete your 100-foot defensible space requirements, Ventura County F...
05/29/2026

June 1 - Brush Clearance Safety Reminder — As you complete your 100-foot defensible space requirements, Ventura County Fire reminds residents to follow the safety guidelines highlighted in these graphics to help prevent equipment-caused wildfires.

Clear today. Protect tomorrow.

📞 Fire Hazard Reduction Program: (805) 389-9759


VCFD Truck 29 was placed into service today, operating out of Fire Station 27 in Fillmore until completion of the new Fi...
05/27/2026

VCFD Truck 29 was placed into service today, operating out of Fire Station 27 in Fillmore until completion of the new Fire Station 29 in Santa Paula.

Truck 29 is a new 100-foot tractor-drawn aerial apparatus manufactured by Rosenbauer and equipped with specialized tools and equipment designed to support highly technical rescue operations and structure fire response throughout the region.

The addition of Truck 29 was recommended in the recent Standards of Cover study conducted by Citygate Associates, which evaluated fire protection and emergency response needs throughout Ventura County.

“Truck 29 represents our continued commitment to providing the highest level of emergency response and rescue capabilities to the communities of Ventura County,” said Fire Chief Dustin Gardner. “By strategically placing this specialized apparatus in the Santa Clara River Valley, we are strengthening our ability to protect lives, support our firefighters, and serve all of Ventura County.”

Look for more updates on Truck 29 and new Fire Station 29 in the coming weeks!

Sandy Fire morning update:The Sandy Fire remains within its current footprint and has shown minimal activity over the pa...
05/27/2026

Sandy Fire morning update:
The Sandy Fire remains within its current footprint and has shown minimal activity over the past several days. Firefighters continue making steady progress, and the fire is now 94% contained.

A small portion of uncontained fire line remains on the southern section of the fire, which can be seen on the attached map. Firefighters continue using infrared drones during nighttime operations to identify remaining hotspots. During the day, crews hike into rugged terrain to locate, expose, and fully extinguish those pockets of heat.

As suppression needs decrease, the incident is continuing to scale down operations and reduce assigned resources. Currently, ~50 firefighters remain assigned to the incident and continue working to strengthen containment lines, patrol the fire area, and ensure full extinguishment.

City of Simi Valley Government
County of Ventura - Government

The Sandy Fire is now 90% contained with 107 firefighters remaining assigned to the incident. Please see the attached ma...
05/26/2026

The Sandy Fire is now 90% contained with 107 firefighters remaining assigned to the incident. Please see the attached map.

The suppression cycle continues as firefighters utilize infrared drones during nighttime operations to identify remaining hotspots. During the day, firefighters hike into rugged terrain to locate and fully extinguish those hotspots.

For your safety and firefighter safety, please use caution while recreating in the area, especially on dirt roads where fire personnel and equipment continue to operate.

This Memorial Day weekend, while many gather with family and friends, approximately 150 firefighters remain assigned to ...
05/25/2026

This Memorial Day weekend, while many gather with family and friends, approximately 150 firefighters remain assigned to the Sandy Fire, which is now 75% contained.

These photos highlight this morning’s operational briefing near the end of Sequoia Ave., in Simi Valley CA, where firefighters continue working diligently to fully extinguish the fire and continue suppression repair efforts to help return the land as closely as possible to pre-fire conditions.

Firefighters are utilizing infrared drone technology to identify underground hotspots hidden beneath the surface. Hand crews then hike into rugged terrain using shovels, picks, and hose lines to dig down to the heat sources, cool them, and ensure they are fully extinguished.

This work is physically demanding and often takes place in steep, remote terrain. We are grateful for the continued dedication and sacrifice of the firefighters, dispatchers, aviation personnel, law enforcement officers, public works crews, and support staff spending their Memorial Day weekend protecting our communities.

As we remember and honor those who gave their lives in service to our country, we also thank the men and women continuing to serve our communities here at home.

County of Ventura - Government
Simi Valley Police Department
City of Simi Valley Government
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
CAL FIRE
San Bernardino County Fire Department County
Orange County Fire Authority
Los Angeles County Fire Department
Los Angeles Fire Department

05/23/2026

5/23 Sandy Fire Update:

Acres: 2183
Containment: 61%
Personnel: 884

Operations Section Chief Trevor Johnson provides an update on the Sandy Fire.

Firefighters continue to make significant progress on the Sandy Fire in Simi Valley. Weather today will continue to favor mop up operations across the fire perimeter. Morning fog will give way to lower temperatures and higher relative with mild winds throughout the afternoon. These conditions reduce the potential for flare ups, and give firefighters an opportunity to continue identifying and cooling hot spots around the fire.

Smoke from remaining tree stumps and other burned-out areas well within the fire perimeter may continue for the next few days. Firefighters will continue to patrol the fire area and identify, assess and mop up these areas. IR-sensing drone flights will continue as another means of identifying heat sources and directing resource activity.

This will be the last operational briefing on the incident. We will continue to post brief acreage and containment updates through our social media, or follow emergency.venturacounty.gov for the latest updates and information.

Address

2400 Conejo Spectrum Street
Thousand Oaks, CA
91320

Telephone

+18053899710

Website

https://linktr.ee/vcfd

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