Brush Fire Sweeps Near Posh Neighborhood

A brush fire torched 108 acres Friday and came within several feet of homes in a plush neighborhood east of North Ranch Country Club.

More than 300 firefighters from Ventura County and Los Angeles County battled the blaze, which began about 2:15 p.m. They said light winds and heavy manpower helped save homes.

Authorities reported the blaze was contained by 8 p.m.

There were no reports of damage or injuries, and no evacuation was declared. But dozens of residents loaded cars with valuables to be on the safe side.

“It was just five feet from our fence,” said resident Tim Conklin, 31. “That was kind of scary.”

One of three helicopters fighting the fire dropped fire-retardant foam on Conklin’s house and several others in the 900 block of Blue Mountain Circle, he said.

The fire started when a grinder being used by a homeowner on a backyard wrought-iron fence ignited brush off Hunter Valley Lane, said Sandi Wells, a Ventura County Fire Department spokeswoman.

Officials said they might seek to recoup the cost of fighting the blaze if the homeowner was working without proper permits. No citations had been issued as of Friday night.

“If they had a permit to grind and this happened anyway, it’s an accident,” Wells said. “If it’s done without a permit, there’s a really good chance we’ll seek restitution. The helicopters alone are $700 an hour.”

Costs had not been tallied, but were expected to be steep, officials said. About 200 Ventura County firefighters were being assisted by 100 firefighters from Los Angeles County and the California Department of Forestry, as well as sheriff’s deputies from both counties.

At the fire’s peak, plumes of thick brown smoke streamed into the air and sent residents in the neighborhoods scurrying for safety. Fire officials said roads to about 1,000 luxury homes and condominiums worth a total of up to $50 million were blocked at the height of the fire.

The blaze licked down a grassy hillside and into the backyard of Juliet Walsh’s Spanish-style home on Eagle Point Circle.

“We had a home full of children freaking out,” Walsh said.

Gesturing to her black Range Rover, Walsh said: “I loaded up my wedding photos, albums, my antiques and my husband’s fountain-pen collection--pretty thoughtful, huh? Then I ran around the house taking photos of the house for insurance purposes.”

Walsh’s friend, Dawn Nelson, packed up her daughters and left her home near the fire to assist Walsh.

“My house burned down when I was 9,” Nelson said, “so this is beyond scary. Since I live on Lakeview Canyon right near [actress] Heather Locklear’s, I kept thinking ‘Her house has to go before mine.’ ”

Her daughter, 9-year-old Ali, was also shaken.

“I thought the fire was going to come down the hill and eat us,” she said, shivering. “We saw big flames.”

Wells credited high humidity and mild breezes for keeping damage to a minimum. She also credited residents who had removed brush before fire season.

“Weed abatement made the difference between a place for firefighters to protect the homes and the homes being destroyed,” Wells said.

Friday’s fire could be a warmup for a busy fire season, Wells said.

“If we continue with this heat and have low humidity, and the Santa Anas kick in, we will have an active fire season,” she said. “No doubt about it. The grass is high. The brush is huge. The fuel is here.”

Folmar is a Times staff writer and Wolcott is a reporter for Times Community News. Jennifer Hamm, a reporter for Times Community News, contributed to this story.