Camarillo Airport Plays Vital Role in Fighting Mountain Fire

Widespread blaze began on Wednesday morning and quickly grew, pushed by Santa Ana winds.

Thursday, November 07, 2024 at 04:50 PM ET

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The Mountain Fire prompted a Temporary Flight Restriction (TRF) and Camarillo Airport (KCMA) in Ventura County, California, will be closed to nonemergency aircraft through November 13. [Courtesy: Ventura County]

Key Takeaways:

Camarillo Airport (KCMA) is serving as a critical base for aerial firefighting operations against the Mountain Fire, housing up to 28 aircraft and closed to non-emergency traffic with a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR).
The Mountain Fire is 0 percent contained, highly active, and unpredictable, fueled by Santa Ana winds, leading to over 14,000 evacuation notices and structural losses.
Numerous agencies are deploying extensive resources, including water-dropping helicopters and hundreds of fire trucks, despite challenges like dense smoke reducing visibility and the fire's rapid, wind-driven spread.

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Camarillo Airport (KCMA) in Ventura County, California, is playing a vital role in the efforts to extinguish the Mountain Fire. The wildfire began on Wednesday morning and quickly grew, pushed by Santa Ana winds.

The airport is being used as a base for the aerial defense aircraft, which may increase to 28 in all by this evening, according to Ventura County spokesperson Jannette Jauregui.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.