So far, the Simi Valley fire has destroyed six structures and damaged eight, said Joe Luna, spokesman with the Ventura County Fire Protection District. But officials still don't know what the structures are, Luna said. Two firefighters have suffered minor injuries.

Fire officials were not forcing people to evacuate homes but recommended voluntary evacuations on Gabbert Road in Moorpark, Darling Road in unincorporated Ventura County and Eileen Street in Simi Valley, officials said.

Highway 23 between Moorpark and Fillmore, Tierra Rejada Road, Lower Grimes Canyon, Los Angeles Avenue and Highway 118 remained closed.

More than 600 firefighters battled the blaze, which started Saturday in Los Angeles County, but reported zero percent containment and no estimate when they would get the conflagration under control, officials said.

Winds of 20-30 mph were expected to remain steady until Monday morning, thwarting firefighting efforts. Winds forced air tankers from the air, but helicopters continued making drops, Luna said.

This morning, residents awoke to see ash falling like snow flurries from the skies and an orange-brown haze enveloping eastern Ventura County.

The fire leapfrogged Tierra Rejada Road near Madera Road and Highway 23 around noon and was headed toward the Reagan Library, Luna said. The library sits between Tierra Rejada Road and Olsen Road, but is protected by a fire break that surrounds the building, Luna said.

"It's not an immediate concern, but we did send crews there poised to guard against it," Luna said.

Smoke and spot fires never reached within a mile to the north of the hilltop facility, officials said. Twenty-two firefighters, six engines and air support spent an hour protecting the library, which was closed to the public and the media at the direction of the library's staff.

The fire was also near Santa Paula Airport, moving in the Santa Clara River toward Saticoy. But the riverbed is buffering homes from any problems, Luna said.

"Once it hits the riverbed, it's going to peter out and it won't be a threat anymore," Luna said, adding there were crews in the area.

Fire officials acknowledged that resources have been stretched thin with many Southern California companies fighting a blaze in San Bernardino County.

However, fire companies from Ramona, Sacramento, Clovis, Pechanga and Riverside County have arrived at the fire's command center at Arroyo Vista Park in Moorpark.

During this morning's briefing, fire officials outlined their goals: to keep the flames east of Saticoy in eastern Ventura, which they said they believe they can do; south of Highway 126 near Fillmore; north of Tierra Rejada Road in Moorpark and the 118 in Simi; and minimize the smoke and

fire impacts to power lines.

As Ventura County Deputy Chief Dave Festerling offered this list, he also said one goal was to keep the fire out of Los Angeles County along the 118 near Chatsworth.

In an indication of how fast the blaze was travelling, one firefighter responded, "It's already in LA County."

Some residents along now-closed Tierra Rejada road scrambled to rescue horses from the charging fire and smoke. Two residents were so intent on getting to their homes that they rammed two CHP squad cars, Sgt. Mike Cooper said.

Even with firefighters arriving from around the state, Jeff Millar of the CDF was blunt about the need for more backup.

"Our folks are tired," he said. "... They're going to be running on empty soon."

The weather was not expected to help matters. The forecast will remain the same - hot and windy - until Tuesday.

Red Cross officials have opened emergency centers at Rancho Santa Susanna Community Center, 5005 Los Angeles Avenue; Thousand Oaks Community Center, 2525 Moorpark Avenue; the Boys and Girls Club, 565 First St. Fillmore and Pleasant Valley Park and Rec, 1605 Burnley Street, Camarillo.

Luna said costs for fighting the blaze were about $25,000, but the federal government would reimburse the county.

- Staff writers Jean Cowden Moore and Brad Smith contributed to this story.

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