Santa Anas Fan Fires in Malibu and Sunland

County fire officials sent more than 20 engine companies and helicopters into Malibu this morning to battle two brush fires whose flames were whipped by Santa Ana winds of 35 to 40 m.p.h.

There were also reports of noontime fires breaking out in the Mt. Baldy area and in the Box Canyon area of Ventura County, between Chatsworth and Simi Valley.

Another blaze, in La Tuna Canyon in the East San Fernando Valley community of Sunland, was extinguished after burning 100 acres and threatening five homes.

Cause Investigated

The cause of the fires remained under investigation. They were pushed by winds and fed by dry brush conditions that fire officials described as “extreme.” Forecasters said the winds would taper off Tuesday.

The first Malibu fire began at 10:25 a.m. and spread over two acres off Piuma Road. Fire crews quickly contained about half of the blaze, but as they worked, another acre of brush near Mulholland Highway in Malibu Creek State Park caught fire at 11:14 a.m.

Planes Called In

Within 15 minutes fire officials called in water-dropping airplanes to stall the second blaze, and they faced the possibility that crews would have to be pulled off the first Malibu fire to help.

The Sunland fire broke out at 9:30 a.m. It consumed three acres in the first 15 minutes, then spread to 100 acres in the next half-hour. Fourteen fire engines and three helicopters dumped water on the fire, and firefighters had it “knocked down” by 10:59 a.m., a spokesman said.