The fire has consumed 170 acres and is now 80% contained.

The wind has dropped to nearly zero in Fillmore.

Approximately 85 units and nearly 300 firefighters continue to fight the fire, putting out hot spots with hand crews and helicopter.

1 house was burned but officials have not identified the property owner. The home is not the William Morris property that some earlier reports had indicated.

More updates, photos and video coming soon.

The hills just east of where the fire started.
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One of dozens of trees damaged by the high winds.
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68 Units currently responding to a fire that was reported approximately 4:45 p.m. in the 1400 block of Goodenough Road in north Fillmore.

The fire was sparked by a downed power line.

High winds caused trees to fall and fire to spread.

1 home on Goodenough road has burned along with the roof of a mobile home, one vehicle and several outbuildings.

An estimated 200 people in dozens of homes are under mandatory evacuation orders

A shelter has been setup at the Veterans Memorial Building at 511 Second Street in Fillmore. Donations of blankets, food and water may be dropped off at the Memorial Building for any victims and firefighters.

Additional photos, video, and information coming soon.

City of Fillmore

On Tuesday, March 26, 2013 Bill Herrera conducted a Goal Setting Workshop with the Fillmore City Council. The objective of the workshop was setting the City’s priorities with regards to its common goals, both immediate and long standing.

The meeting started at 3:30 p.m. and ended at 6:15pm with less than half of the priorities covered, so a second workshop will be scheduled in the future. The priorities covered so far were broken down into categories: Governmental, Economic, Public Safety and Community Wellness, Public Works, and Infrastructure.

Beginning with Government, the Council prioritized their goals starting with resolving the sales tax issue with the Board of Equalization. The next goal is Council unification, and third is hiring a City Manager. Final goal of Government is to hire a Finance Director.

Ideas also discussed relating to Government were; record retention and staff identifying what records they have, wanting staff reports to be efficient and concise, an open and transparent government, having the Council meet twice a year with joint commissioners, filling vacant staff positions, education of staff on housing element, code of ethics/conduct, landscaping and lighting, Vision 2020, and code enforcement.

The second of the CONTINUED »

Fillmore Chamber of Commerce would like to congratulate Joseph Palacio for receiving Firefighter of the Year for 2012. Thank you for all you do for our community.

It is with great pleasure that I introduce Joseph Palacio as Fillmore’s 2012 Firefighter of the Year. Joseph Palacio was born in 1983 and has been a resident of the City of Fillmore his entire life. Joe’s, parents are Joe & Olivia Palacio and has a younger sister Jolene.

He recently moved to Castaic with his fiancée Vanessa and her son Richie. He attended Fillmore High school and graduated in 2002. During his senior year in high school, his Mother Olivia Palacio worked in the career center, signed him up for a ride along with Ventura County Fire Department station 27 which was his first exposure to the fire service. After the ride along, Joe became a cadet for County Fire station 27 where he learned a lot about the fire service and found his calling for public service. After high school he worked for a type two hand crew for the Las Padre National forest service’s out of Ojai where he learn the skill’s of wildland firefighting. After his first season of wild land firefighting he enrolled in fire tech classes at Oxnard College in 2003. Around that same time Joe became a ride along with the Fillmore fire department. He also worked as a supervisor for a fire prevention crew. Through the Fillmore Fire Department, he had the opportunity to enroll in the Oxnard college fire academy. After the academy, he was hired with the Fillmore Fire Department. Early on he had a passion for training, fighting fire and more importantly helping others. He traveled up and down the State of California to seek training from other agencies and brought back great new concepts and training back to our department. He also attended the Rio Hondo Truck academy and participated in a Truck academy hosted by Oxnard Fire Department. He is currently employed by AMR Ambulance and has been working as an EMT for two Ambulance Company’s for the past 8 years. During his time with Fillmore Fire Department, Joe has promoted up the ranks from firefighter to Engineer and now Captain. He currently is in charge of Engineer’s training where he is very dedicated. Captain Palacio is very dedicated to training not just to be the best firefighter he can be, but to be the safest firefighter he can be, not just for himself but the crews that he work with and the people he serves. In closing, Joe writes, I want to thank everyone in my family, and future family for being behind me and supporting me in this greatest career on earth, The Fire service. I thank God every day for the privilege to help others.

Fillmore Chamber of Commerce would like to congratulate Rotary Club of Fillmore for receiving Nonprofit of the Year for 2012. Thank you for all you do for our community.

Rotary Club of Fillmore founded in May 1924
Rotary Club of Fillmore Sun Risers founded in March 1985
Clubs merged January 2013

Combined All-Time Giving to The Rotary Foundation = $152,928.00

Current total active members = 22

Rotary International is the world's first service club organization, with more than 1.2 million members in 33,000 clubs worldwide. Rotary club members are volunteers who work locally, regionally, and internationally to combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace, and eradicate polio under the motto Service Above Self.

Santa Paula Police Department

On 04-01-2013 Officers from the Santa Paula Police Departments Patrol division attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle which was occupied by a known wanted felon Richard Arellano, who was considered armed and dangerous. As Officers attempted to stop the vehicle in the area of Olive and Santa Paula Streets, the vehicle evaded Officers causing a brief Police pursuit. In the 200 blk of N. 5th Street, the vehicle stopped in the middle of the roadway and at which time, Arellano fled from the right front passengers seat on foot. Officer Potter gave chase after Arellano. During the chase, Officer Potter witnessed Arellano discard a loaded firearm into the backyard of 230 N. 5th Street. Arellano was subsequently apprehended.
Richard Arellano is currently on CDC State Parole and is a documented gang member in the City of Santa Paula.

Wanted subject considered armed and dangerous
Report number: SG1300603
Location: 200 Blk of N. 5th Street
Date & Time: 04-01-2013/1340 hours
Unit Responsible:
Suspect(s): Richard Arellano 21
Victim(s): ?????
Press Release prepared by: Detective Allen Macias
Date and Time release prepared: 04-02-2013/1453
Follow-up contact/investigator: Detective Allen Macias-525-4474X146
Approved By: