Fire Razes in Ventura County; Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Saved From Damage

Ventura County Fire Department ordered mandatory evacuations on Wednesday morning in Southern California. A quick-moving wildfire sparked and flared in Simi Valley, near the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

The Easy Fire, as named by the Ventura County Fire Department, was reported at around 6 a.m., near the Madera Road and 118 Freeway in Simi Valley. Some 6,500 homes and establishments were threatened by the blaze - including the Reagan Library as fires burned most of the vegetation areas on the north of the library, according to fire officials.

A Reagan Library's spokesperson told Fox News that, "the hilltop library would be closed Wednesday due to the conditions created by the blaze." The spokesperson added the firefighters and trucks surrounded the library, with protection measures taken on the Air Force One-side of the facility. 

According to FOX11, Reagan Library Executive Director John Heubusch said the blaze was "[surrounding] the library", and that firefighters were "fighting [the fire] the best they can." Heubusch added it was the closest that the library, particularly on the area where the library archives is located, had come to that danger. 

Reagan Presidential Library spokeswoman Melissa Giller told the Associated Press the fire came in nearly 30 yards of the complex. However the building has been contained by aerial water drops and a firebreak.

She noted that hundreds of goats were brought to the library grounds each year as one of the methods of preventing fire. Giller explained that the goats would eat away vegetation that triggers wildfires on the undeveloped sections of the 300-acre property.

According to fire officials, the fire started churning at least 15 acres and started in a section near the power lines before quickly growing to about 1,300 acres and being driven by ferocious Santa Ana winds.

Schools suspended

FOX11 reported that all Simi Valley, public schools and schools in Moorpark, were closed due to the blaze. Horses are being relocated to suburban tracts from small ranches.

Huge fires could be seen propelling uphill and was fuelled by strong winds to the lesser populated areas. Firefighting air tankers dropped water and fire retardant on the fire. Officials explained the fire were being propelled away from the library with the help of strong Santa Ana winds going from central California to the coast.

The National Weather Service issued a rare "extreme red flag warning" from Tuesday to Thursday evening for most areas of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties because of the Santa Ana wind event that could be "one of the strongest [in history]."

Fox News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean said on "Fox & Friends" that it was the "most dangerous" day they thought that Santa Ana winds were going to be "ferocious" across Southern California before weather conditions improve. A combination of gustily, strong winds up to 80 miles per hour in mountains and some valleys with low humidity levels were forecasted..

"[Be very prudent] with any [possible fire] sources - residents in high fire risk areas must be [prepared] to evacuate if emergency officials say so,"  the NWS said.