Hollywood Hills Blaze Contained
Los Angeles firefighters contained a brush fire in the Hollywood Hills on Tuesday afternoon before it reached nearby homes.
Low winds and quick response helped about 150 firefighters contain the blaze, accidentally started by a welder working on a wrought iron fence, a Fire Department spokesman said.
The fire was the first of the season to directly threaten residences within the immediate metropolitan area.
Dry conditions and hot desert winds typically make October and November prime fire months in Southern California.
Crews from 43 fire companies, including five helicopters and three fixed-wing aircraft, fought Tuesday’s fire about a mile north of Sunset Boulevard near the 8100 block of West Gould Avenue.
The fire burned more than eight acres and came within 10 feet of one home off Kirkwood Drive.
At least 30 neighborhood residents were evacuated. One woman was handcuffed by police and driven away from the fire in a squad car when she tried to return to her home to protect her pets.
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