STAGED BURN CHARS ACRES; PLANNED FIRE SET TO REDUCE THREAT OF FUTURE BLAZES.

Byline: Kevin F. Sherry Daily News Staff Writer

Massive plumes of gray smoke towered over Agoura Hills and Calabasas on Thursday, part of a planned burn to prevent future brush fires in the volatile canyon areas.

About 200 firefighters torched chaparral and grasses in the Cheeseboro Canyon area to create a natural break against future fires.

``It's not a matter of if it's going to burn, it's when it burns,'' said Ishmael Messer, area fire management officer for the National Park Service who oversaw the controlled burn. ``It's better to allow it to burn when we have control of it.''

The smoke plume caused minor traffic delays on the Ventura Freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol.

``The only delay or problem with the freeway is looky-loos slowing down to look at it,'' said CHP Sgt. David Moeller.

But dispatchers in Los Angeles and Ventura counties heard from hundreds of concerned people calling to report the fire, or to see if it was headed in their direction.

Before the burn, fire officials contacted local residents to warn them to keep their doors and windows shut, Messer said. But no matter how much warning people get, they are always concerned about billowing smoke.

Some people questioned why fire officials would undertake a controlled burn on a day when winds gusted to 25 mph, but National Park Service spokeswoman Jean Bray said experts used the wind to their advantage.

Firfighters know at what times the wind blows in which direction, and set fires at different times to make sure the wind does not carry embers out of the controlled area, Messer said.

Even so, the flames consumed about 1,650 acres rather than the 1,500 targeted for clearance Thursday.

``It just got a little more than we had anticipated burning,'' Los Angeles County fire Capt. Steve Valenzuela said.

Still, shortly before 3 p.m., Los Angeles County authorities dispatched a ``full brush response'' of about 100 firefighters and 27 engines, crew trucks and other equipment to keep the flames from spreading too quickly. They were aided by eight helicopters from Los Angeles city and county and Ventura County fire agencies.

The controlled burn was started at 9:15 a.m., with firefighters using hand torches and truck-based flame-throwers. In the air, firefighters in three helicopters injected chemical-filled ping-pong balls with a second chemical that burst into flames shortly after they hit the ground, Messer said.

CAPTION(S):

5 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color in Conejo Edition only) Los Angeles city fire Capt. Greg Stone shoots a flare pistol Thursday to set a controlled brush fire in Cheeseboro Canyon.

(2-3--Color in Conejo Edition only) At right, firefighters use a flamethrower Thursday to set brush ablaze as part of a controlled burn to reduce the chance of future brush fires. Above, flames consumed about 1,650 acres instead of the 1,500 targeted for clearance in Cheeseboro Canyon.

(4-5) At right, firefighters keep watch over the burning brush to make sure the blaze doesn't cross a road. Above, crews take a quick break for lunch during Thursday's exercise, which drew personnel from Los Angeles and Ventura counties, the city of Los Angeles and the National Park Service.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News