Calabasas Grass Fire Burns Five Acres

A grass fire burned five acres in the hills above Mulholland Drive and Las Virgenes Road on Friday, only two days after Los Angeles County fire officials announced an early start to the fire season.

More than 200 firefighters brought the blaze under control in an hour. No buildings were damaged and no one was injured by the fire, officials said.

The fire, which began about 8:30 a.m., was pushed by 10- to 20-mph winds, Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Lee Brown said.

The blaze started in the Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area and is the largest to occur this spring, Brown said, though it was minuscule in comparison with the usual big fall blazes, such as with last year’s Malibu-Calabasas fires.

Still, firefighters say the blaze could be an ominous warning of things to come.

County fire officials declared the start of the 1997 fire season Wednesday--an unusually early announcement, prompted by lack of rain in recent weeks and low humidity. Heavy winter rains fed the growth of grasses that have now dried to tinder.

“The vegetation is drying out at a faster rate than we anticipated,” said Capt. Steve Valenzuela, spokesman for the county Fire Department.

Fire officials said residents should clear brush from around their homes. “Make sure there is not a lot of combustible materials around your house,” Los Angeles city fire spokesman Jim Wells said. “When you’re barbecuing, make sure all your coals are put out and don’t throw them into the grass.”

Fire officials also urged residents to keep firewood piles a safe distance from buildings and to cover chimneys with mesh to keep sparks from flying out.

In case a fire does flare up around your home, fire officials said, it is a good idea to have a 100-foot hose attached to a spigot, a noncombustible ladder against a wall to access the roof, and large trash cans that could be filled with water.

Home firefighters should wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, gloves, goggles and a bandanna or other breathing filter. They should also turn off propane tanks, close windows, remove sheer curtains and close heavy curtains.

If the fire is moving swiftly, it may be safer to stay in your house rather than try to outrun the flames. The fire front may move so quickly that it passes by the house. If the roof catches fire, authorities advise to get into your car with the windows closed, pull away from the house and turn on your air conditioning. If an escape is blocked by smoke or fire, it is safer to stay put.

Wells also had advice for drivers during the fire season:

“Don’t throw cigarettes out of cars,” he said. “They should use their ashtrays. And cars get hot too--sometimes the bottom of a car can start a fire if it’s parked in a grassy area.”