New Kenneth Fire Now 50 Percent Contained as Officials Warn of More Destruction in Coming Days

A new wildfire erupted in West Hills, California, on Thursday evening, close to homes in the Calabasas and Hidden Hills areas.

The Kenneth Fire started near the west end of Victory Boulevard at around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, fanned by gusty Santa Ana winds. In an update on Friday at 5 p.m., the Ventura County Fire Department said the fire had consumed 1,052 acres of brush and was 50 percent contained.

“Firefighters worked throughout the day to mop up hot spots and improve containment lines, adding to the overall containment of this fire,” officials said. “Firefighters will continue monitoring and patrolling this evening to ensure the fire remains within its established perimeter.”

The fire department added that the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

On Thursday, just before 8 p.m., the Ventura County Fire Department said forward progress of the fire had been stopped, and that “approximately 400 Firefighters will remain on scene through the night, continuing to provide structure protection and knock down hotspots.”

California fire chief, David Acuna, told the BBC Friday morning that more than 10,000 structures have likely burned down in the wildfires across Los Angeles, with more winds expected over the coming days that could lead to further destruction.

Due to the Kenneth Fire, mandatory evacuation orders were initially issued for areas around Vanowen Street south to Burbank Boulevard and County Lane Road east to Valley Circle Boulevard, but they were downgraded to an evacuation warning just before 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Evacuation warnings issued in Ventura County have also been lifted, noting that evacuation directives are changing rapidly.

“The challenging terrain and persistent winds complicate suppression activities, necessitating heightened vigilance from residents and adherence to directives from local authorities,” incident commanders initially shared in a bulletin.

As the Kenneth Fire began to rage, an accidental evacuation warning was sent out as an alert to the entire L.A. County due to an error with the software, Kevin McGowan, director of L.A. County Office of Emergency Management, later confirmed in a news conference. “Sometimes technology isn’t perfect,” said Los Angeles County sheriff Rob Luna, adding that added stress is the “last thing we want to happen.”

Hidden Hills, which has become a celebrity hotspot in recent years, is home to many Hollywood stars, including Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner.

Britney Spears, who resides in the Thousand Oaks area, located just above West Hills, shared on Instagram on Thursday evening that she had evacuated. “I hope you are all doing OK !!! I had to evacuate my home and I’m driving 4 hours to a hotel !!!” Spears wrote. “I’m posting these adorable shoes to lift people’s spirits !!! Most people may not even be on their phones !!! I wasn’t the past two days because I had no electricity to charge and I just got my phone back !!! I pray you’re all doing well and I send my love.”

Wildfires initially broke out Tuesday in Pacific Palisades, before spreading to parts of Malibu and Santa Monica overnight. As of Friday afternoon, the Palisades Fire near the coastline was 8 percent contained; and the Eaton Fire was 3 percent contained. The Hurst Fire, south of Santa Clarita, was 70 percent contained. The death toll has also risen to 11 people, the Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office said Friday.

Another fire, named the Sunset Fire, broke out Wednesday night in the Hollywood Hills, endangering iconic landmark the Hollywood Bowl, among other tourist destinations. By Thursday morning, firefighters were able to contain the blaze and all evacuation orders there were lifted.

This is a developing story.