Blaze Breaks Out at Recycling Plant

VENTURA — A spectacular fire erupted at a Ventura wood recycling plant late Friday, lighting up the night sky with flames shooting 35 to 40 feet high.

The blaze, which started about 7 p.m., consumed a wood pile estimated to be at least an acre in diameter, and could be seen by passing motorists along the nearby Ventura Freeway.

Flames shot into the air as firefighters hampered by a lack of water allowed the two-alarm blaze to burn itself out at California Wood Recycling, 3450-A Ventura Road.

No structures were threatened or injuries reported.

“We’re just trying to keep this from spreading to the other pile here,” firefighter Dan Williams said as he crouched behind a plywood shield, regularly spraying water on a massive mulch pile adjacent to the one ablaze. “If it starts blowing toward the [Santa Clara] river we could have a brush fire over there. It could become a major problem.”

Firefighters and a bulldozer driven by an employee of the business were attempting to contain the fire, which continued to rage late Friday night.

“It will burn for days,” Capt. Kevin Rennie said. “It’s an on-going problem. We’ve been here many times before.”

Police blocked off roads in the industrial area to keep out the public.