The Mountain Fire (2024) was a California wildfire in Ventura County, with 19,904 acres, 243 structures destroyed, 0 deaths on the public record. Its cause is recorded as confirmed. No known litigation. Status as of October 1, 2026.
The Mountain Fire burned 19,904 acres of Ventura County in November 2024 and destroyed 243 structures, 182 of them homes, most in the hills above Camarillo. Nobody was killed.
This page previously described it as a fire involving electrical utility equipment with lawsuits filed against Southern California Edison. That was wrong, and we have corrected it. A year after the fire, investigators announced that it was a rekindle: hot debris left from a tractor fire that crews had put out a week earlier, uncovered and scattered by extreme winds.
One lawsuit against Edison was filed two days after the fire started, by homeowners seeking a class action. They asked the court to dismiss it a week later, and Edison told regulators the complaint had been dismissed. We have found no pending lawsuit over the cause of the fire as of the date on this page.
The District Attorney reviewed the investigation and closed it without charges, finding that the tractor driver acted neither maliciously nor recklessly. One question remains open on the public record: in January 2026 the Ventura County Fire Department announced that CAL FIRE would independently review how the first fire was handled. We have not found published findings from that review.
Fire facts
From public records; unknown values are shown, never guessed.
| Year | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Start date | 2024-11-06 |
| Containment date | 2024-11-27 |
| Region / counties | Ventura |
| Acreage | 19,904 |
| Structures destroyed | 243 |
| Structures damaged | 126 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Cause status | confirmed |
| Officially determined arson | No / not determined |
| Last verified | 2026-10-01 |
Cause
The Mountain Fire was a rekindle of an earlier fire, not a utility fire. The joint investigation by the Ventura County Fire Department and CAL FIRE determined that it occurred due to a rekindling of the Balcom Fire, a 1.8 acre fire that began on October 30, 2024 when a tractor clearing brush near Balcom Canyon Road and Bixby Road in Somis caught fire. A week later, an extreme Santa Ana wind event exposed smoldering material and carried embers across a dozer line into dry vegetation. The District Attorney described the cause as heated tire debris from the Balcom Fire that became dislodged and dispersed into unburned vegetation downwind of the tractor. The Fire Department's own announcement on November 7, 2025 called it the likely cause. Southern California Edison told state regulators on November 19, 2024 that no fire agency had suggested its electric facilities were involved in the ignition.
What happened
The Mountain Fire was reported at about 8:51 AM on November 6, 2024 in the unincorporated area of Somis, in the same place a small fire had burned the week before. Driven by Santa Ana winds on a day of extreme fire weather warnings, it ran southwest into Camarillo Heights and Camarillo Estates. More than 10,000 people were evacuated on the first day. All evacuations were lifted at 3:00 PM on November 17, and the fire was fully contained on November 27, 2024. CAL FIRE lists 19,904 acres, 243 structures destroyed and 126 damaged; the Ventura County Star reported that 182 of those destroyed were homes. No deaths were reported.
Mountain Fire timeline
Each entry is dated and links to the public source it comes from.
A tractor clearing brush near Balcom Canyon Road and Bixby Road in Somis catches fire. Firefighters hold the resulting Balcom Fire to 1.8 acres.
Source: Ventura County District Attorney
The Mountain Fire is reported at about 8:51 AM in the same area and is driven by Santa Ana winds toward Camarillo.
Source: Ventura County Fire Department and CAL FIRE investigation report
More than 10,000 people are evacuated and a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant is secured.
Homeowners file a proposed class action against Southern California Edison in Ventura County Superior Court.
Source: Ventura County Star
The homeowners file a motion to dismiss their own case without prejudice.
Source: Ventura County Star
All evacuations are lifted at 3:00 PM.
Source: CAL FIRE
Edison tells the CPUC that the complaint has been dismissed and that no fire agency has suggested its facilities were involved.
Source: Southern California Edison
Damage assessment is reported: 243 structures destroyed, 182 of them homes.
Source: Ventura County Star
The fire is 100 percent contained and controlled.
Source: Ventura County Fire Department and CAL FIRE investigation report
The Ventura County Fire Department announces the likely cause, and the District Attorney closes its criminal review with no charges.
Source: Ventura County District Attorney
The Ventura County Fire Department announces that CAL FIRE will independently review its handling of the Balcom Fire.
Source: Ventura County Fire Department
Litigation status
No known litigation. Status as of October 1, 2026.
We found no pending lawsuit over the cause of the Mountain Fire in the public sources we searched as of October 1, 2026. One was filed and withdrawn. On November 8, 2024, two days after the fire began, homeowners whose house in the Camarillo hills was destroyed sued Southern California Edison in Ventura County Superior Court, seeking to establish a class action. On November 15, 2024 they filed a motion to have the case dismissed without prejudice, which means it could be filed again. In a letter to the California Public Utilities Commission dated November 19, 2024, Edison stated that the complaint had been dismissed and that no fire agency had suggested its facilities were involved in the ignition. On November 7, 2025 the Ventura County District Attorney announced that it had closed its criminal review of the Balcom and Mountain fires, finding no criminal liability. We found no lawsuit against a public agency, a contractor or a landowner over the fire, and no action by the Public Utilities Commission beyond Edison's own incident report. We did not search court dockets directly, so this reflects news and agency sources only.
No known litigation is a statement about the public record and our search of it as of the status date. It is not a finding that no case exists or could exist, and nothing here describes any individual situation.
Court & regulatory record
- Mountain Fire investigation report, redacted (released December 2, 2025) , Ventura County Fire Department and CAL FIRE (Case 24CAVNC094825)
- News release: hot tire debris dislodged by extreme winds determined as cause of the Mountain Fire (November 7, 2025) , Ventura County Fire Department
- District Attorney Closes Criminal Review of Balcom and Mountain Fires (November 7, 2025) , Ventura County District Attorney (Case Release 25-134)
- Letter to the California Public Utilities Commission regarding the Mountain Fire (November 19, 2024) , Southern California Edison
- Mountain Fire and Balcom Fire records , Ventura County Fire Department
This is a reported public-record status, not advice about any individual’s legal situation. Deadlines and eligibility change over time and depend on facts specific to each person. If you have questions about yours, contact us and we will help.
Key figures on the public record
Each figure below was published by the court, agency, or company named beside it, on the date shown. These describe the case and the disaster, not any individual’s situation.
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Acres burned | 19,904 | CAL FIRE, July 29, 2025 |
| Structures destroyed | 243 | CAL FIRE, July 29, 2025 |
| Of which, homes | 182 | Ventura County Star, November 19, 2024 |
| Structures damaged | 126 | CAL FIRE, July 29, 2025 |
| Structures damaged or destroyed, total | 369 | Ventura County Fire Department and CAL FIRE investigation report, December 2, 2025 |
| People evacuated on the first day | More than 10,000 | Office of the Governor of California, November 6, 2024 |
| Size of the earlier Balcom Fire | 1.8 acres | Ventura County District Attorney, November 7, 2025 |
In the news
Independent news coverage related to the Mountain Fire. Each link opens the original public reporting.
- Feb 1, 2026Cal Fire reviewing Ventura County Fire's response to small wildfire that led to Mountain FireCBS News Los Angeles
- Jan 30, 2026Cal Fire to probe Ventura County response to tractor blaze that reignited into Mountain fireLos Angeles Times
- Nov 7, 2025Cause of Ventura County's Mountain Fire determined to be from debris in previous vegetation blazeCBS News Los Angeles
- Nov 7, 2025Ventura County Mountain Fire likely caused by debris from tractor fire days earlierNBC Los Angeles
- Nov 7, 2025Tire debris from earlier blaze caused Ventura County's Mountain Fire, DA saysFOX 11 Los Angeles
- Nov 7, 2025Despite 'hot' tractor, firefighters left blaze that later burned 243 homes in Ventura CountyLos Angeles Times
- Nov 20, 2024Mountain Fire victims drop lawsuit against EdisonVentura County Star
- Nov 19, 2024Mountain Fire damage climbs to more than 360 structures, most destroyedVentura County Star
Common questions about the Mountain Fire
What caused the Mountain Fire?
The Mountain Fire was a rekindle of an earlier fire, not a utility fire. The joint investigation by the Ventura County Fire Department and CAL FIRE determined that it occurred due to a rekindling of the Balcom Fire, a 1.8 acre fire that began on October 30, 2024 when a tractor clearing brush near Balcom Canyon Road and Bixby Road in Somis caught fire. A week later, an extreme Santa Ana wind event exposed smoldering material and carried embers across a dozer line into dry vegetation. The District Attorney described the cause as heated tire debris from the Balcom Fire that became dislodged and dispersed into unburned vegetation downwind of the tractor. The Fire Department's own announcement on November 7, 2025 called it the likely cause. Southern California Edison told state regulators on November 19, 2024 that no fire agency had suggested its electric facilities were involved in the ignition.
Is there litigation over the Mountain Fire?
No known litigation. Status as of October 1, 2026.
What areas did the Mountain Fire affect?
The Mountain Fire (Ventura County) affected communities including Camarillo, Camarillo Heights, Camarillo Estates, Somis, Santa Rosa Valley.
How large was the Mountain Fire?
19,904 acres, 243 structures destroyed, 0 fatalities, per public records as of 2026-10-01.
What caused the Mountain Fire in Ventura County?
The November 2024 Mountain Fire in Ventura County was a rekindle of the Balcom Fire, a 1.8 acre fire that started on October 30, 2024 when a tractor clearing brush caught fire. Investigators from the Ventura County Fire Department and CAL FIRE determined that extreme Santa Ana winds on November 6, 2024 exposed smoldering material and carried it into dry vegetation. Utility equipment was not identified as the cause.
How many structures were damaged or destroyed in the Mountain Fire?
CAL FIRE lists 243 structures destroyed and 126 damaged in the November 2024 Mountain Fire in Ventura County, California, a total of 369. The Ventura County Star reported that 182 of the destroyed structures were homes.
When did the Mountain Fire start and when was it contained?
The Mountain Fire was reported at about 8:51 AM on November 6, 2024 in Somis, Ventura County, California, and was 100 percent contained on November 27, 2024, at 19,904 acres.
Is there a Mountain Fire lawsuit against Southern California Edison?
A proposed class action over the Mountain Fire was filed against Southern California Edison in Ventura County Superior Court on November 8, 2024, and the homeowners who filed it moved to dismiss it a week later. Edison told state regulators on November 19, 2024 that the complaint had been dismissed. As of October 1, 2026 we have found no pending lawsuit over the cause of the fire.
Was anyone charged over the Mountain Fire?
No. The Ventura County District Attorney announced on November 7, 2025 that it had closed its criminal review of the Balcom and Mountain fires, finding no criminal liability and concluding that the tractor driver acted neither maliciously nor recklessly.
Sources
- Mountain Fire incident record, CAL FIRE
- Mountain Fire investigation report 24CAVNC094825, redacted, Ventura County Fire Department and CAL FIRE
- District Attorney Closes Criminal Review of Balcom and Mountain Fires, Ventura County District Attorney
- News release on the cause of the Mountain Fire, Ventura County Fire Department
- Letter to the CPUC regarding the Mountain Fire, November 19, 2024, Southern California Edison
- California secures federal assistance to support response to Mountain Fire, Office of the Governor of California
- Mountain Fire victims drop lawsuit against Edison, Ventura County Star
- Mountain Fire damage climbs to more than 360 structures, most destroyed, Ventura County Star
- CAL FIRE to review VCFD operations on wildfire that preceded Mountain Fire, Ventura County Fire Department
Facts on this page are drawn from the public sources listed above and rewritten in original words. See Sources & Methodology.