Ventura River fire knocked down; roads reopened

A campfire in a homeless encampment along the Ventura River grew into a small brush fire Tuesday, closing roads and snarling traffic, officials said.

The fire was reported about 6 a.m. in the riverbed near northbound Highway 101 and West Main Street in Ventura. It apparently started as a warming fire in a homeless encampment near the Highway 101 bridge over the river and grew to ¼ acre, officials from the Ventura City Fire Department said. Smoke billowed over the freeway, causing closures and tying up traffic.

Westbound Main Street was closed in the area, as was an offramp from Highway 33 onto Main Street, authorities said.

California Highway Patrol officers ran a traffic break on northbound Highway 101, the agency reported on its website. The CHP also escorted southbound vehicles over the bridge because of the heavy smoke, said Battalion Chief Matt Brock of the Fire Department.

With help from a Ventura County Fire Department hand crew, Ventura city firefighters controlled the blaze in about 30 minutes, Brock said. No injuries were reported.

All roads reopened by about 7:15 a.m. The fire was extinguished by 8 a.m., officials said.