Thousand Oaks residents were startled this morning when a dormant volcano north of Highway 101 erupted.

Newbury Park resident Marvin Molten and his family were halfway up the Conejo Grade when the smoke started spewing out and the lava started flowing down the sides of the prominent hill north of the 101.

"We were on our way to grandma's house for Easter ham when we see this orange lava coming down the hill to the right," said Marvin's wife, Marcy. "We  stopped for a family selfie on the right shoulder, when the heat from the lava literally melted the See's Chocolate Easter Bunny in my daughter's lap. The melted chocolate made a huge mess all over the car!"

This Easter surprise lasted only about 10 minutes. Terry Tectonic of the National Weather Service in Oxnard indicated "the morning fog rolled in from Camarillo and put a damper on the lava flow;  thankfully now I can get back to my family's backyard Easter egg hunt."

Mandy Mantle was hiking on a nearby trail in the Conejo Open Space when she heard an explosion. She looked up and saw ashes flying everywhere. "For a second I thought it was Ash Wednesday," said Mantle.

APRIL FOOLS'!

Happy April Fools' Day!

April Fools' fun in prior years

Now go take a hike at one of over 50 local area trails and hikes around Ventura County.