Calabasas Fire: Containment at 81%, Smoke Advisory Issued

CALABASAS, CA - Although the "Old Fire" in the Calabasas area has been 81 percent contained after burning since Saturday afternoon, officials on Monday issued a smoke advisory to warn of possible unhealthful conditions.

"While conditions have improved, some smoke may be experienced locally near the fire in the western San Fernando Valley and northwest Los Angeles County coastal area at times," the South Coast Air Quality Management District said in a statement.

All roadways in the area were reopened Sunday evening, including Old Topanga Canyon Road and Topanga Canyon Boulevard, and evacuations were lifted, allowing the last of the evacuees to return home, said Lt. A.J. Rotella of the Malibu-Lost Hills Sheriff's Station.

"The deputies are on patrol in neighborhoods and the firefighters are watching for hot spots," Rotella told City News Service.

About 5,000 people from 3,700 homes were ordered evacuated Saturday from homes in Calabasas and Topanga Canyon.

The blaze consumed 516 acres of brush, caused minor damage to two homes and destroyed a commercial structure, said Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Keith Mora.

Three firefighters suffered minor injuries battling the blaze, Mora said. Two firefighters hurt their knees while pulling hoses up and down hillsides and a third suffered a cardiac episode, said Deputy Fire Chief John Tripp.

Four additional structures were damaged, but no homes, he said.

About 90 horses from the Mill Creek Equestrian Center in Topanga Canyon were evacuated to Pierce College. Aaron Reyes, Deputy Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control, told the Los Angeles Daily News that the horses will be calling Pierce their home for the next several days.

A team of about 40 staff members and volunteers will be looking after the animals, Reyes said.

"That is very typical in these types of disasters," Reyes said of the volunteer evacuation effort. "They are in what we call horse country and the people are very comfortable in handling horses."

Three fires broke out nearly simultaneously just after 4 p.m. Saturday in the southwestern San Fernando Valley. The largest -- possibly ignited when a vehicle crashed into a utility pole in the 2300 block of Mulholland Highway, downing power lines -- merged with a nearby fire to become what firefighters have dubbed the "Old Fire."

The other fire was at Kittridge Street and Valley Circle in West Hills. Los Angeles city firefighters doused it at 6:20 p.m. Saturday. The cause was still under investigation.

--City News Service, photos courtesy of the city of Calabasas