HILLSIDE HOMES SPARED BY BLAZE.

Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby and Jaxon Van Derbeken Daily News Staff Writers

A brush fire burned more than two acres Monday and threatened several houses before firefighters were able to extinguish it with the help of water-dropping helicopters, authorities said.

The blaze occurred at about 2:45 p.m. in a residential neighborhood at Burbank Boulevard and De Soto Avenue, city Fire Department spokesman Bob Collis said.

The blaze was extinguished in 43 minutes with the help of 80 firefighters and five water-dropping helicopters from the city and county fire departments, Collis said.

``Thank God for those helicopters,'' said Amit Danon, a resident who watched as firefighters brought the choppers down on the hillside blaze.

The fire burned a part of the backyard garden of John Ashou's home.

``We were right in the smoke, but the Fire Department was really quick, the response was so quick,'' Ashou said. ``I just bought the home four months ago; I would have felt pretty bad'' if the fire consumed it, he said.

Fire Capt. Lou Gligorijevic said firefighters were helped by mild conditions in attacking the blaze. ``If this had been a wind-driven fire, with a little more wind, a little more heat,'' he said, ``we would have been off to the races.''

He said that a line of oleander helped prevent the fire's spread. He also credited mutual aid from the county with helping to knock down the fire rapidly. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1 -- color) Larry Kropp, left, leads his family away from the hillside brush fire.

Andy Holzman/Special to the Daily News

(2 -- color) Afrin Avavla tries to stop the flames from getting near homes.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News