PALO COMADO CANYON : Planned Burn Briefly Rages Out of Control

A scheduled burn of 750 acres of hillside scrubland in Palo Comado Canyon went out of control for two hours Wednesday as more than 150 firefighters looked on, officials said.

Fire crews intentionally burned the acreage to create a natural fire break between the communities of Agoura and Bell Canyon.

But sparks from the controlled burn swept across the hillside and burned an additional 60 acres before firefighters were able to contain the blaze.

“Apparently it escaped from the prescribed area,” said Rhonda Roller, a dispatcher with the Ventura County Fire Department, which supervised the planned burn.

“It’s unusual,” she said. “But when it happens, the firefighters just handle it with on-scene equipment. They know it’s always a possibility.”

Officials called in three extra engines and two air tankers to quell the blaze, which was contained by 2 p.m. The controlled burn was scheduled to be completed before noon.

Operators at the Ventura County Fire Department fielded more than 40 calls from residents who were alerted to the blaze by the bright orange sky looming above Thousand Oaks.

“Any time you are burning 750 acres, you’re going to have a little smoke,” spokeswoman Sandi Wells said.

Officials delayed the planned burn twice after the county Air Pollution Control District determined that weather conditions were unfavorable.

The district said Wednesday morning that the humidity was high enough and winds were low enough to proceed, fire officials said.