East County Fire Burns 84 Acres
A fire burned 84 acres of brush in the Santa Monica Mountains south of Newbury Park on Thursday before it was extinguished by hundreds of firefighters.
The blaze started about 2:30 p.m. near Potrero Road and Briar Avenue at the north end of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area. Officials say the fire quickly spread.
Homes were not threatened, but officials called in 250 firefighters. Ground crews and four air units, including helicopters and planes dumping water and fire retardant, worked to control the blaze.
Crews were drawn from the Ventura County Fire Department, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area.
“We put as many resources as possible on it immediately to keep it contained,” Fire Department spokeswoman Sandi Wells said.
Plumes of smoke blew over the Newbury Park area, even reaching California 23, making some nearby homeowners nervous.
The fire was contained by 4 p.m. Dead grass, low humidity and a steady westerly wind contributed to the fire’s spread, officials said. Investigators from the Ventura County Fire Department are investigating the cause.
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