A Tuesday afternoon fire that began in Calabasas parkland burned through 75 acres into Agoura Hills. Although Malibu remained on alert, the blaze never threatened this city as it moved in the opposite direction.
The fire started at 12:06 p.m. and was fully contained by 4:30 p.m. Approximately 150 firefighters were sent to the scene to put it out. No structural damage or injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire has not been determined, but Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesperson Maria Grycan called it “suspicious.” The case is being handled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s arson investigators. Their office was closed for the day when The Malibu Times called for comment.
After the fire began, it moved in a northwest direction. At approximately 1 p.m., Los Angeles fire officials estimated it had burned less than one acre in dead wind. The only damage reported was burnt light grass, the major fuel of the blaze. Structural protection and voluntary evacuation was issued to nearby homes on Liberty Canyon and Mountain Shadow Road. Officials claimed it was too early to determine the percent of containment.
The fire was deemed by Los Angeles County fire officials to be 60 percent contained at 2:20 p.m. They said it had burned at least 40 acres and was growing near Las Virgenes and Lost Hills State park, which are mutual threat areas protected by Ventura county firefighters as well. Los Angeles fire officials could not confirm whether Malibu Canyon had been closed, despite numerous calls made to The Malibu Times office stating that it had.
After the fire jumped north of the 101 freeway, additional smaller fires commonly referred to as “hot spots” ignited near a landfill, but were quickly extinguished.
The firefighters included a Los Angeles county ground crew and Ventura county strike team. Air resources were comprised of a combination of Los Angeles city and county helicopters. Grycan said approximately 50 to 60 homes were declared threatened by the fire. She said not many residents were at home during the fire, and of those who were, a small percentage voluntarily evacuated.