Simi Valley, California – A massive wildfire burned across the hills south of Simi Valley on the night of May 18, 2026, sending towering smoke plumes into the sky as flames raced dangerously close to neighborhoods.

The handheld video, filmed from an elevated viewpoint by X user Dharm, captured bright orange fire lines tearing across dark ridgelines while thick black and grey smoke billowed high above the blaze.

As the camera moved across the scene, intense flare-ups and glowing embers could be seen spreading through dry brush and vegetation. The fire advanced rapidly against the dark horizon, lighting up the hillsides.

In the foreground and midground, suburban homes, parked vehicles including a red pickup truck, fences, power lines, and emergency vehicles flashing red lights highlighted the fire’s close proximity to residential areas.

The footage was recorded during the rapid growth of the Sandy Fire, which ignited earlier that morning off Sandy Avenue in Ventura County. Fueled by strong winds and dry terrain, the wildfire quickly expanded into one of Southern California’s most urgent fires that week.

The blaze grew to more than 2,100 acres, destroyed at least one home, and triggered evacuation orders and warnings for thousands of residents in Simi Valley and nearby communities, including parts of Los Angeles County.

Hundreds of firefighters from Ventura County and mutual-aid agencies battled the fire using ground crews, engines, and aircraft. A temporary evacuation center was established at Rancho Santa Susana Community Park.

The dramatic footage spread widely online as a real-time look at the fire’s intensity and its dangerous approach toward populated neighborhoods.

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