The fire started May 18 off Sandy Ave. in Simi Valley and became a regional concern because of wind, steep terrain and smoke. For Thousand Oaks residents, the practical takeaway was simple: the city was close enough to be named in the warning footprint, even if many households were never told to leave.

What changed by May 26

In Ventura County’s May 26 final routine update, the Sandy Fire was listed at 2,183 acres and 90% contained. The county said all evacuation warnings had been lifted, but firefighters were still doing mop-up work and would remain in the area over the next several days to patrol for hot spots.

That means the immediate public-safety phase had eased, but the burn area was still active enough to need crews, equipment and caution near dirt roads and fire lines.

Why smoke mattered in Thousand Oaks

Even residents outside the warning zones had a reason to pay attention. On May 20, the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District issued an air-quality watch because of smoke from the Sandy and Santa Rosa Island fires. The district said impacted cities may include Thousand Oaks, along with Newbury Park, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Camarillo, Oxnard and Ventura.

The air-quality watch was a smoke advisory, not an evacuation notice. It urged people to cut back on strenuous outdoor activity, keep windows closed if smoke was present, and pay closer attention if they or family members have heart or lung conditions.

For parents, commuters and business owners in Thousand Oaks, the main takeaway is that the city was directly touched by the Sandy Fire response, then cleared as the county lifted warnings. The fire was no longer in the fast-moving emergency phase by May 26, but officials still wanted people to stay alert around the burn area.

Sources

• CAL FIRE Sandy Fire incident page
• Ventura County Emergency Information: Sandy Fire update page
• Ventura County air-quality watch
• KCLU Sandy Fire local report

CAL FIRE said all evacuation orders and warnings tied to the fire were lifted at 6:01 p.m. on Friday, April 4. The agency was still listing the fire at 95% containment in its latest updates, with no new activity reported on Monday, April 6.

For residents who had to leave, that means the return-home order is in place. It also means crews were still monitoring and patrolling the perimeter after evacuations ended, so the story has shifted from active flight to cleanup, caution, and waiting for a final containment update.

How fast the fire grew

The Springs Fire started at 11:01 a.m. on Thursday, April 3, on Gilman Springs Road east of Moreno Valley, according to CAL FIRE. By 11:47 a.m., firefighters were on scene with the fire at about 50 acres in light fuels. By early evening, CAL FIRE had mapped it at 4,176 acres.

That rapid growth is the main reason the fire became a Moreno Valley story so quickly. CAL FIRE issued evacuation orders and warnings for multiple Moreno Valley-prefixed zones as well as nearby Riverside County zones. A shelter opened at Valley View High School in Moreno Valley, and an animal shelter opened in San Jacinto.

CAL FIRE later reported that several zones were cleared the same night, then lifted all remaining orders and warnings on April 4. The fire was still officially active, but the forward rate of spread had stopped.

What changed for residents and students

The most practical local update after the evacuations lifted was at Moreno Valley College. The college posted an all-clear notice saying it was no longer in the evacuation area and that classes and events would resume on Sunday, April 6.

That matters beyond the campus itself. When a local college resumes normal operations, it affects students, staff, families, transit routines, work schedules, and nearby businesses that depend on weekday foot traffic.

Early local reporting from KESQ captured how quickly the disruption escalated on April 3, including the fast acreage growth, the shelter opening in Moreno Valley, and temporary travel impacts near Gilman Springs Road. KESQ also reported that no injuries were immediately reported at that stage.

Damage information has changed since those earliest reports. The latest CAL FIRE incident page lists one structure destroyed. The cause remains under investigation.

Why the fire moved so quickly

The National Weather Service had a wind advisory in effect through April 4 for the Moreno Valley area and Inland Empire valleys during the fire window. That official weather context helps explain how a vegetation fire east of the city was able to spread so quickly in a matter of hours and why smoke and visibility were practical concerns for nearby neighborhoods.

What to watch next

The remaining questions are narrower now but still important. Residents should watch for a final move from 95% to full containment, any updated damage assessment, and any official findings on cause.

For now, the bottom line is straightforward: the evacuation phase is over, Moreno Valley College has resumed normal operations, and the fire east of the city has shown no new activity since April 6, but CAL FIRE has not yet declared it fully contained.

Sources

• CAL FIRE Springs Fire incident page
• CAL FIRE April 5 status update
• Moreno Valley College alert
• National Weather Service Moreno Valley area forecast
• KESQ initial Springs Fire local report
• Forecast
• Associated Press wildfire report