Homes go up in flames during KTLA reporter's live shot

KTLA 5 News reporter Sara Welch was on the frontlines of the Mountain Fire in Ventura County on Wednesday afternoon as homes were destroyed by the intense, wind-driven flames on live television.

The brush fire, which erupted in the Somis and Camarillo area earlier in the day, had exploded to 9,000 acres and destroyed an unknown number of structures. Firefighters were hampered by strong Santa Ana winds whipping through Southern California on Wednesday.

“The flames are just vicious,” Welch said during KTLA 5 News at 1 p.m. as a home on Old Coach Drive in Camarillo Heights burned. “It is hot, and it is windy. There are sporadic fires all over the area.”

Welch observed many residents scrambling to evacuate with their belongings—and horses—as the flames raced through their neighborhood.

Before she moved to safety, Welch said firefighters were “all over the place” but were limited because larger firefighting aircraft were grounded due to wind.

“These winds are so fierce that they can’t get any fixed-wing aircraft up there to drop any water,” she said. “In many cases, sadly, some of these things just have to burn because there’s no way to get water to them.”