Canyon fire: Evacuation orders issued for Lake Piru area as wildfire burns roughly 5,000 acres near Val Verde

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued Thursday for the Lake Piru and Val Verde areas as a wildfire burned nearby amid searing mid-summer temperatures a Southern California.

The Canyon fire has scorched roughly 4,856 acres near Val Verde, straddling Los Angeles and Ventura counties, according to Watch Duty. In addition to the evacuation orders, officials also issued less-severe evacuation warnings for parts of the area.

Authorities said late Thursday that there was zero percent containment of the growing blaze.

Fire fuel has become drier as a result of the heat wave that parts of Southern California are experiencing, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Sirard. “We have dusty southwest winds, onshore flow with the heat and so the dusty winds and the dry fuels are he