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Local : Camarillo Fire Covers 35 Acres

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From Times staff and wire service reports

A Camarillo man who tried to eliminate a back-yard squirrel problem by pouring gasoline into a hole and lighting it accidentally sparked a 35-acre brush fire that slightly injured two people and destroyed a neighbor’s house, the Ventura County Fire Department reported today.

The fire started behind a home at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 800 block of Mission Drive when the ignited gasoline spread to nearby trees and brush. Authorities declined to identify the man who started the fire but said he will be billed for the costs of fighting the blaze.

The fire spread along the side of a canyon, skirting several homes before engulfing a house about half a mile from the starting point of the blaze, department spokeswoman Paula Aliano said. Two residents suffered minor injuries, including some smoke inhalation, she said.

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About 80 firefighters extinguished the blaze by 8 p.m. Damage to the home and two cars was estimated at $200,000.

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