BRUSH FIRE BREAKS OUT IN VALLEY HILLSIDE NEAR HOUSES, FREEWAYS FLARES UP.Byline: Jason Kandel and Ryan Oliver Staff Writers SHERMAN OAKS - A fast-moving brush fire burned up a tinder-dry hillside Hillside may refer to: Places
Flames raced up the 2-foot-high brush on Verb 1. brush on - apply with a brush; "Brush butter on the roast" coat, surface - put a coat on; cover the surface of; furnish with a surface; "coat the cake with chocolate" a hillside southwest of the 101-405 freeway interchange shortly after 2 p.m., threatening homes in the 15600 block of Castlewoods Drive. It took 100 firefighters and two water- dropping helicopters about 20 minutes to douse douse 1 also dowse v. doused also dowsed, dous·ing also dows·ing, dous·es also dows·es v.tr. 1. To plunge into liquid; immerse. See Synonyms at dip. 2. the fire. ``All of a sudden the sky turned orange,'' resident Joe Regis said. ``The flames came over the hill so fast, the fire spread from the berm berm: see beach. to the street in 30 seconds. I was really worried. I've never seen such a thing.'' Regis' neighbor, Neda Firouz, scrambled scram·ble v. scram·bled, scram·bling, scram·bles v.intr. 1. To move or climb hurriedly, especially on the hands and knees. 2. to save her own house after smelling smoke and coming outside. ``I came out and saw everything on fire,'' Firouz said. ``I turned on the garden hose and started to spray, but I couldn't breathe. There was so much smoke.'' Regis said he was aware of brush-clearance warnings, and had called the state Department of Transportation to cut back the brush growing behind his back fence and the San Diego Freeway The San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405, and the part of Interstate 5 south of the El Toro Y[1]) is one of the principal north-south highways in Southern California, and the major beltway of I-5 running through Southern California. (405) below. ``I watched Caltrans spend a week fixing the sprinkler system last year, but they never turned them on,'' Regis said. ``I called them about it, but they never returned my call.'' Caltrans spokesman Judy Gish said the agency is responsible only for clearing brush within 8 feet of the freeway. ``That is where most fires begin either from vehicle fires, sparks or cigarettes,'' said Caltrans spokeswoman Judy Gish. Gish was unsure who was responsible for operation and maintenance of the sprinkler system and neither she nor city officials could say which agency is responsible for clearing brush behind Castlewoods Drive. Anxious to avoid a repeat of last year's deadly Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, wildfires, officials declared an early start to this year's fire season, beefing up manpower and equipment and getting out the message about the importance of brush clearance. ``The men and women of the Los Angeles Fire Department The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), also known as the Los Angeles City Fire Department to distinguish it from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. It is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Los Angeles. are prepared to respond efficiently and effectively to any large-scale fire in the Southern California region,'' Mayor James Hahn For the Iowa politician, see . James Kenneth "Jim" Hahn (born July 3, 1950) is an American politician from the Democratic Party. He was the Deputy City Attorney (1975-1979), City Controller (1981-1985), City Attorney (1985-2001) and Mayor of Los Angeles, California said Thursday morning at a news conference at Fire Station 88 in Sherman Oaks. ``But we need partners. Do brush clearance. The time to act is now. Do it before it gets even worse.'' Just this month, firefighters began sending out brush clearance notices to hundreds of homeowners who live on hillsides. The city requires that homeowners cut a 200-foot swath between their homes and the brush. Fire Chief Bill Bamattre said about 85 percent of homeowners comply. For those who don't, contractors are dispatched at the homeowners' expense to clear the brush. Homeowners can face bills up to $318 for this service. Wire services contributed to this report. Jason Kandel, (818) 713-3664 jason.kandel(at)dailynews.com |
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