Simi Fire

{{Short description|2003 wildfire in Southern California}}

{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox wildfire

| title = Simi Fire

| image = Simi Valley fire California USA.jpg

| image_size =

| caption =The Simi Fire burns in Southern California's Simi Hills, viewed from a C-130 air tanker.

| reference = {{cite web|title=Simi Fire|url=http://www.fire.ca.gov/cdf/incidents/Simi%20Incident_124/incident_info.html|website=CAL FIRE|access-date=28 August 2015}}

| cost = $10 million (2003 USD)

| date = {{Unbulleted list|{{Start date|2003|10|25}} – |{{End date|2003|11|5}}|({{duration in days|2003|10|25|2003|11|05}} days)}}

| location = Los Angeles County
& Ventura County,
California,
United States

| coordinates =

| area = {{convert|108204|acres|km2|0}}

| cause =

| landuse =

| injuries = 21

| fatalities =

| perps =

| buildings = {{unbulleted list|37 residences|278 outbuildings}}

| motive =

}}

The Simi Fire was a devastating 2003 wildfire that burned {{convert|108204|acres|km2|0}} of land in the Simi Hills and southeastern Simi Valley in eastern Ventura County and western Los Angeles County, in the U.S. state of California.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-02-me-vcfire2-story.html|title=Ventura County Dodged a Bullet|date=2003-11-02|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-31}} The Simi Fire was one of multiple large, fast-moving, and destructive wildfires in Southern California in October 2003, in a fire siege that included the Cedar, Old, and Grand Prix fires. The Simi Fire resulted in no fatalities but did cause 21 injuries. The cause of the fire remains unknown.{{Cite web |date=2004-02-13 |title=The California Fires Coordination Group: A Report to the Secretary of Homeland Security |url=https://www.fema.gov/pdf/library/draft_cfcg_report_0204.pdf |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=Federal Emergency Management Agency}}

At its peak, the Simi Fire burned up to 10,000 acres an hour.{{Cite news |last=Griggs |first=Gregory W. |date=2003-11-11 |title=Chief Takes Heat for Fire Defense |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-11-me-vcfire11-story.html |access-date=2022-11-28}} It threatened the major foothill communities of Porter Ranch and Chatsworth after crossing from Ventura County into Los Angeles County.{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Tracy |last2=Pfeifer |first2=Stuart |last3=Landsberg |first3=Mitchell |date=2003-10-28 |title=Wildfire Toll Tops 1,500 Homes |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-28-me-main28-story.html |access-date=2022-11-28}} The fire threatened homes near Stevenson Ranch, though it burned none. It also forced the closure of the Golden State Freeway (Interstate 5) for more than 2.5 hours on October 29 as fire crews successfully worked to prevent it from jumping the freeway north of California State Route 14, near Santa Clarita.{{Cite news |date=2003-10-29 |title=Simi wildfire keeps threatening Stevenson Ranch |work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |agency=North County Times Wire Services |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-simi-wildfire-keeps-threatening-stevenson-ranch-2003oct29-story.html |access-date=2022-11-28}} By the night of October 30, the Simi Fire was 40% contained. That number jumped to 85% by the night of October 31.{{Cite news |last=Broder |first=John M. |date=2003-11-01 |title=California Firefighters Gain Control, With Weather's Aid |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/01/us/california-firefighters-gain-control-with-weather-s-aid.html |access-date=2022-11-28 |issn=0362-4331}} The fire was declared 100% contained on November 1 when precipitation moved into the area and aided firefighters.{{Cite news |date=2003-11-02 |title=One fire fully contained: Precipitation poses new threat of mudslides |work=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/11/01/california.wildfire/ |access-date=2022-11-28}}

The governor of California Gray Davis declared a state of emergency in Ventura and Los Angeles counties as a result of the Simi Fire and others burning concurrently.{{Cite news |last=Broder |first=John M. |date=2003-10-27 |title=Thousands Flee as Fatal California Fires Spread |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/27/us/thousands-flee-as-fatal-california-fires-spread.html |access-date=2022-11-28 |issn=0362-4331}}