Countywide : Arson Suspected in 2-Alarm Brush Fire

A brush fire that started Monday in an orchard near Ventura Avenue and quickly swept up a hill leading to Grant Park may have been set by an arsonist, fire officials said.

It took firefighters about an hour to contain the two-alarm fire, which started at the end of East Barnett Street and was reported about 4:30 p.m., Assistant Fire Chief Richard Achee said.

Brush fires are an annual event on the hill leading to the park because of the dryness of vegetation and wind direction this time of year, Achee said.

“I’m a little surprised at how hot this one burned, though, considering the weather we’ve had lately,” Achee said.

Seven engines, 25 firefighters and a Ventura County Fire Department helicopter were called in to fight the blaze, which burned three to four acres before it was contained about 5:30 p.m., Achee said.

“We’ve got to go investigate the cause up in that orchard,” Achee said, pointing at the spot where the fire began as firefighters doused the last smoldering spots on the hillside. “But if there isn’t any farm equipment there, it’s going to look very suspicious.”

A separate brush fire Monday afternoon burned three acres near Piru, officials said.

About 30 Ventura County firefighters were called to the fire, which started about 2:15 p.m. in Piru Canyon at Holser Canyon, dispatcher Jackie Noel said.

About 2 1/2 acres of flatland and half an acre of hedgerow burned in the fire, which was contained just before 3 p.m., Noel said.