Brush fire rages into Ventura County as crews work into the night

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Members of the Bureau of Land Management’s Kern Valley Hotshots board a helicopter at Chuchupate Ranger Station in Los Padres National Forest to be dropped high on top of mountains to fight the Grand fire. Firefighters continued battling the 3,500-acre brush fire in Kern County on Thursday morning. The fire started about 1 p.m. Wednesday near Frazier Park, and burned near the border with Los Angeles County. The fire was about 15% contained Thursday morning, officials said. The Los Angeles County Fire Department has sent about 180 personnel to assist in the firefighting effort, along with a helicopter, two bulldozers and two water tanker trucks. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Fire retardant is dropped as firefighters continue battling a 3,500-acre brush fire in Kern County. Air quality officials issued a smoke advisory for Los Angeles County areas. “All individuals are urged to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities in any area directly impacted by smoke,” the South Coast Air Quality Management District said in a statement. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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The Grand fire sends up a large plume of smoke as it burns more than 3,000 acres of brush and light grass near Frazier Park on Wednesday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters work to contain the Grand fire as it burns along a road in Hungry Valley State Park. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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A crew of firefighters is enveloped in smoke in Hungry Valley State Park as the Grand fire burns more than 3,000 acres near Frazier Park. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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The Grand fire burns along a road in Hungry Valley State Park. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters work to cut a fire line in Hungry Valley State Park to halt the progress of the Grand fire. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

By Robert J. Lopez

May 15, 2013 9:59 PM PT

Hundreds of firefighters Wednesday night continued to battle a brush fire that had burned more than 3,000 acres and was raging out of control after starting in Kern County near the Grapevine.

The most active front of the Grand fire Wednesday night was in Ventura County, where flames had spread and were burning through brush and grass in the Los Padres National Forest, fire officials said.

Fire officials earlier had believed that the blaze had crossed into Los Angeles County. But late Wednesday, the L.A. County Fire Department said the fire was burning close to the county border but had not crossed it.

The fire broke out around 1:20 p.m. near Frazier Mountain Park Road and Grand Terrace Drive, not far from Frazier Park, an unincorporated mountain village in Kern County.

As walls of flame quickly spread, mandatory evacuations were ordered for Hungry Valley State Park and Piru Creek Campground.

Deputies swooped down on Frazier Mountain High School to evacuate the campus, but students had already left for the day, said Lt. Dana Albro of the Kern County Sheriff’s Department.

One witness told The Times that flames raged close to the campus football field as thick clouds of smoke billowed into the air.

“The flames were huge.… It was horrible,” said Rebecca Crowe, 14, a middle school student who was headed to her home in Frazier Park as she passed the campus Wednesday afternoon.

Seven air tankers and four water-dropping helicopters repeatedly attacked the blaze Wednesday evening as firefighters from several agencies worked to contain flames and protect structures, fire officials said.

The air attack was suspended as darkness fell but was scheduled to resume in the morning, said Kern County Fire Department spokesman Corey Wilford.

He said the blaze was 10% contained and that about 600 firefighters were working into the night.

Winds in the Grapevine area Wednesday night were blowing at 7 mph with gusts up to 15 mph, the National Weather Service said. Relative humidity was at 44%.

In Los Angeles County, deputies were dispatched to the Gorman area Wednesday night in case a shift in the winds pushed flames toward residential areas and evacuations were needed, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

“We have personnel standing by in the off chance the winds shift and something happens,” Lt. John Rush of the Santa Clarita sheriff’s station told The Times. “We’re ready to mobilize.”

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