Update, 1:55 p.m.: One firefighter was injured in the mop-up following the Stunt Fire in Malibu on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 28.
A camp crew firefighter suffered “heat-related injuries” on scene, according to LA County Fire Public Information Officer Henry Narvaez. Camp crews are made up of both paid and inmate firefighters; Narvaez said he believed the injured crew member was not an inmate.
“Those guys, when they get out there, they work their butts off,” Narvaez said.
The temperature in the Malibu Hills was 85 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
The crew member was being transported via ambulance to a nearby medical center, Narvaez said.
Update, 1:24 p.m.: Los Angeles County Fire reported forward progress had been stopped on a fire reported burning in unincorporated Malibu on Thursday afternoon.
“Firefighters remain on the ground handling hotspots with hose lines,” a social media post from the department described. “Please avoid the area allowing our equipment and personnel the space to work.”
Thursday, 1:11 p.m.: A small blaze reported burning off Piuma Road in unincorporated Malibu was being held at a half-acre as of 1:15 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 28.
The fire was first reported burning at 12:20 p.m. in the 24000 block of Piuma Road (west of Saddle Peak). Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) spokespeople reported the fire was burning in heavy brush and light wind of about five miles per hour. The fire spread from initial reports of a quarter-acre up to one half-acre, where it was being held.
LACoFD was fighting the fire aggressively. Helitanker 55, one of the Sikorsky S-61 helicopters leased by Los Angeles, Ventura and Orange counties, was on hand fighting the fire.
“That’s able to drop a thousand gallons [at a time], with a turnaround time of a minute once they go to get water,” LACoFD Captain Hasegawa explained in a brief phone call with The Malibu Times. Two other helicopters from LA County were also making water drops.
According to Hasegawa, aircraft were being “released” as of 1:10 p.m., due to good progress made fighting the fire.
“They’re getting a handle on it so they’re starting to release some of the copters,” the captain described.
At that time there were no structures threatened, no injuries reported and no evacuations in place.
