Firefighters walk back to their fire truck after combating the Sandy Fire in Simi Valley, California on May 18.
A brush fire broke out Monday in the suburbs of Los Angeles, spreading rapidly and prompting authorities to issue evacuation orders for thousands of residents. (A brush fire is an uncontrollable or wild fire that burns through vegetation.)
Dubbed the Sandy Fire, the blaze broke out late Monday morning in Simi Valley, a city of around 125,000 residents about 40 miles (60 kilometers) northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
Driven by gusts of wind up to 35 mph (56 kmph), the fire reached an area of 1,364 acres (552 hectares) by Monday evening, according to the CalFire firefighting agency.
The fire tore through one home, but no casualties have been reported.
