Major L.A. County Fires

Some of the major blazes in the history of Los Angeles County:

* October, 1993--A runaway brush fire incinerated or damaged 450 homes and charred 70,000 acres in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego and Ventura counties. At least 31 people were hurt.

* June, 1990--A swarm of fast-moving fires destroyed 641 homes in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties. Eighty 80 people were injured. Damage put at $200 million.

* July, 1989--A brush fire in Turnbull Canyon in Puente Hills destroyed 13 homes. Damage estimated at $4.3 million.

* December, 1988--A 3,000-acre fire in Granada Hills and the Porter Ranch area destroyed 15 homes and damaged 25.

* July, 1985--An arson fire swept up a slope in Baldwin Hills and killed three people, destroyed 48 homes and damaged 18.

* June-July, 1985--Flames swept through four Southern California counties, destroying 64 homes in San Diego County and scorching 30,000 acres in Riverside, Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

* October, 1982--One wind-driven fire swept 15 miles from Simi Valley to Malibu and another leaped across northeast Orange County and into the Anaheim Hills. At least 65 structures were lost.

* October, 1981--Santa Ana winds blew flames from a Chatsworth Reservoir blaze south toward the Ventura Freeway, destroying six homes and damaging eight.

* November, 1980--At least six wind-blown fires stretching across Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties killed four people and destroyed 320 homes and 150 other structures. Damage put at $50 million.

* October, 1978--A juggernaut of flame and smoke from eight fires destroyed 230 homes from Malibu to Agoura and Mandeville Canyon. One man was killed. Damage topped $70 million.

* September, 1970--Ten people died and 400 homes were ravaged as several blazes roared from Newhall to Malibu. The fires charred 435,000 acres, causing $175 million in damage.

* November, 1966--Eleven firefighters died, trapped by flames as they fought a fire on a Pacoima hillside.

* November, 1961--High winds sent flames shooting through exclusive Bel-Air, destroying 484 homes worth $25 million.

Source: Times news files