Firework Sparked Blaze Scorches Ten Acres in Sun Valley

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Los Angeles area firefighters responded by ground and air to protect homes from damage, as a fast moving wildfire scorched nearly ten acres of a Sun Valley hillside on Labor Day.

On Monday, September 5, 2011 at 2:22 PM, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a brush fire near 8576 Vine Valley Drive in Sun Valley.

With smoke visible more than six miles distant, allied agencies, including the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Burbank Fire Department and firefighters from the Angeles National Forest, soon joined the battle in an area considered a mutual threat zone.

Two water-dropping LAFD helicopters and an Erickson Air-Crane helitanker on seasonal deployment to the City of Los Angeles, were able to flank the flames with great precision, as ground crews - including 147 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel, worked to stretch hoselines and battle flames across the rolling terrain.

Despite the fire being confined within two hours to less ten acres, the tinder-dry brush could not be declared fully extinguished for nearly eight hours, as hand crews worked the entire edge of the fire with hand tools to assure the fire was out.

Los Angeles Fire Department investigators suspect the non-injury blaze in the Verdugo Mountains was sparked by children playing illegally with fireworks.

Republished with permission of the Los Angeles Fire Department. View original article here.



Author:Brian Humphrey - PIO - Los Angeles Fire Department