Burning car sparks 40-acre brush fire in Burbank, forcing evacuations
Burning car sparks brush fire in Burbank
A brush fire burned about 40 acres above Burbank before crews stopped its spread Saturday.
BURBANK, Calif. - A fast-moving brush fire scorched about 40 acres in the hills above Burbank on Saturday afternoon, forcing residents from their homes before crews stopped its spread.
Fire officials believe the Walnut Fire began with a car that crashed on Harvard Road around 3 p.m., caught fire and sent flames racing up the hillside through dry brush.
By Saturday evening, forward progress had been stopped and containment stood at about 70%, Burbank Fire Department Battalion Chief Joel Petteys said. Evacuation orders were lifted, and one firefighter suffered minor injuries.
"It started out small down below and then the next thing you know, it was all over," said Doris Varela Fossen, who witnessed the fire’s first minutes.
"It was probably 10-foot-tall flames that you could see jumping over the hill," said Prabhnoor Singh, who lives near the fire zone.
Neighbors said police drove through the area on bullhorns, warning them of the danger. Alan DerMarderosian evacuated his home.
"It was the mad dash to get everything packed up and any papers and clothes because we don’t know how long it’s gonna be," he said.
Employees at the Castaway restaurant were arriving for their shifts as the hillside burned.
"I was honestly concerned because it was really close to the restaurant and I know that some of my coworkers are up there right now," said Sebastian Molina, a worker.
Guests inside included Varela Fossen and Aidan Conroy, who had stopped in for a drink before a concert at the Starlight Bowl. The show was canceled because of the fire.
"They said, ‘You have to stay inside,’" Varela Fossen said. "And then when we went out on the patio, they didn’t want us on the patio — they told us to get back inside."
Crews from at least five agencies boxed in the blaze with hose lines, and trucks hauled in extra water to make up for the limited supply on the hill. Firefighters also caught a break with light winds, Petteys said.
"Terrain was really bad," he said. "So helicopters from L.A. City and L.A. County did a lot of work for us."
The driver of the car was questioned and released. Police are still working to determine why he crashed.
"I’m just happy that this was contained and that the folks that live on the other side of this ridge haven’t lost any homes and that no lives were lost," Conroy said. "That’s the important thing."
Crews planned to remain on the fire lines overnight, with full containment expected by the end of the day Sunday.