(This story has been updated with new information.)

A number of Ventura County schools and colleges closed Thursday after a brush fire that broke out near Balcom Canyon and Bradley roads Wednesday morning. Some will also close on Friday.

The Mountain Fire burned 14,500 acres, sending plumes of smoke and ash across the region. As of Thursday morning, dozens of county school districts and individual campuses, serving more than 70,000 students, announced closures for the day, according to a list prepared by the Ventura County Education Office.

Oxnard College, Moorpark College, Ventura College and CSU Channel Islands also announced closings for the day.

By noon Thursday, some districts and individual campuses announced they would be closed Friday as well.

Campus closure on Friday

These campuses and districts announced closings Friday:

• CSU Channel Islands

• ACE Charter High School

• Briggs School District (all locations)

• Camarillo Academy of Progressive Education (CAPE)

• Golden Valley Charter School

• Mesa Union School District (all locations)

• Peak Prep Pleasant Valley Learning Center

• Pleasant Valley School District (all locations)

• Santa Clara Elementary School District (all locations)

• Santa Paula Unified School District (all locations)

• Somis Union School District (all locations)

• College Prep Charter School at CSU in the Channel Islands

Closing campuses on Thursday

These campuses and districts announced closings Thursday:

• Oxnard College

• Ventura College

• Moorpark College

• CSU Channel Islands

• ACE Charter High School

• Mesa Union School District (all locations)

• Santa Paula Unified School District (all locations)

• Charter Bridges School

• Briggs School District (all locations)

• Canyon Elementary Campus (Moorpark USD)

• CAPE Charter School

• Chaparral Middle School (Moorpark USD)

• Golden Valley Charter School Resource Center

• High School at Moorpark College (Moorpark USD)

• Hueneme Elementary School District (all locations)

• Ivy Tech Charter School Resource Center

• Knolls Elementary School (Simi Valley USD)

• Madera Elementary School (Simi Valley USD)

• MATES Charter School

• Monte Vista School (Simi Valley USD)

• Mountain View Elementary School (Simi Valley USD)

• Mupu Elementary School District (all locations)

• Oxnard School District K-8 (all locations)

• Oxnard Union High School District (all locations)

• Peach Hill Elementary (Moorpark USD)

• Peak Prep Academy Resource Center

• Pleasant Valley School District (all locations)

• Rio School District (all locations)

• River Oaks Academy Resource Centers (Oxnard and Westlake)

• Santa Clara Elementary School District (all locations)

• Somis Union School District (all locations)

• Charter school for university preparation

• Ventura Charter School

• Ventura Unified School District (all locations)

• Vista Real Charter High School (all locations)

• White Oak Elementary School (Simi Valley USD)

Schools are reacting to the effects of the mountain fire

Schools felt the effects of the so-called Mountain Fire throughout the day on Wednesday. Camarillo Heights Elementary School was evacuated, according to a statement from the Pleasant Valley School District, just after 12:30 p.m., and the remaining students were bused to Monte Vista Middle School. Oxnard Union High School District closed eight high schools — including Rancho Campana, Camarillo, Rio Mesa, Channel Islands, Del Sol, Hueneme, Oxnard and Pacifica — and transported Rancho Campana students to Camarillo High for pickup. Jesus Vaca, the principal of the Somis school, said in an early afternoon interview that the 219-student campus was in the “lucky part of town” and did not have to evacuate. Some students, however, had to stay on campus after the school day ended because their family’s homes are in the evacuation zone.

Isaiah Murtaugh covers education for the Ventura County Star. Contact him at [email protected] or 805-437-0236 and follow him on Twitter @isaiahmurtaugh and @vcsschools.

This article originally appeared on the Ventura County Star: UPDATE: Mountain wildfire prompts school closures in Ventura County