Brush Fire Sparked by Car Burns 125 Acres
A car traveling southbound on the Ventura Freeway in Thousand Oaks caught fire about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, igniting brush near the truck scales at Conejo Grade.
More than 100 firefighters fought the blaze, which scorched about 125 acres on the south side of the freeway in less than three hours, said Keith Mashburn, chief investigator for the Ventura County Fire Department’s arson investigation unit.
“There’s plenty of brush there and it’s very dry,” he said. “These last few days of dry conditions haven’t helped.”
No injuries were reported, fire officials said.
Shifting winds made attacking the blaze difficult , Mashburn said, but the flames -- up to 20 feet high -- were moving downhill, which slowed their pace. Firefighters placed engines near a Newbury Park mobile home park at the base of the grade to protect those and other residences, he said.
No homes were immediately evacuated, and there was no early estimate on when the fire would be contained, he said. Fire crews are expected to remain at the scene overnight, even if the brush fire is extinguished to ensure it doesn’t reignite.
Fire Department spokesman Joe Luna said, “The threat has passed. It’s pretty much wrapped up. We’ll be here mopping up for several hours.”
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