Agoura Hills Brush Fire Chars 3 Acres, Briefly Threatening Homes

AGOURA HILLS, CA -- County firefighters extinguished a brush fire Thursday off the Ventura (101) Freeway in Agoura Hills, near Calabasas, that charred about three acres and for a time threatened homes, authorities said.

The fire off the 101 Freeway at Liberty Canyon Road was reported at 11:51 a.m., according to Los Angeles County Fire Department spokeswoman Vanessa Lozano.

A knockdown on the fire was declared at 12:54 p.m., county fire Dispatch Supervisor Richard Licon said.

The blaze grew to a second alarm and crews worked to protect homes along Patrick Henry Place, close to the 101 Freeway, according to the fire department.

No houses were damaged and no injuries were reported, Licon said. A ranch in Malibu was briefly evacuated in Malibu because of the fire, according to the city of Malibu.

The Los Angeles Fire Department sent a water-dropping helicopter to help county firefighters fight the flames, fire department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.

The fire apparently was caused by a metallic balloon that got caught in electrical wires, Lozano told City News Service.

-- City News Service, photo via Shutterstock