The fire is believed to have started near Thomas Aquinas College, a popular hiking destination six miles north of the city on Highway 150, before being pushed south by winds with gusts of more than 50 mph.

Weather officials say wind gusts could grow to 70 mph.

“The fire growth is just absolutely exponential,” Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen said. “All that firefighters can do when we have winds like this is get out ahead, evacuate people, and protect structures.”