Dozens of homes in Southern California’s Ventura County were set alight in a sweeping wildfire that burned through thousands of acres of land in just a matter of hours midweek, prompting authorities to send more than 14,000 evacuation notices across the region.

The Mountain Fire began early Wednesday near the small community of Somis and, driven by winds gusting over 60 mph, soon damaged or destroyed homes in the nearby Camarillo area some 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, Cal Fire said. The flames have seared through more than 20,600 acres of land, according to Cal Fire.