Wildfire Shuts Down Ventura (134) Freeway Near Eagle Rock: Updated

EAGLE ROCK, CA -- Three lanes of the eastbound Ventura (134) Freeway were shut down as firefighters grappled with a blaze alongside the freeway Wednesday.

The brush fire broke out just before 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 7500 block of Figueroa Street on the south side of the freeway, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Firefighters quickly got the upperhand on the blaze, extinguishing it within the hour.

As with the Sands Fire in Santa Clarita, efforts to quickly contain the blaze using air drops were hampered by a drone flying over the area.

"Though no helicopter water drops proved necessary, the presence of a hobby drone restricted the option of LAFD to use helicopters for fire attack, and limited their abilities for command support," said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

"This hobby drone issue is being looked into by LAPD." He urged people to fly drones only in appropriate places.

"It's a big planet," Humphrey said. "No drones in fire zones."

Three eastbound freeway lanes will remain closed until further notice, the California Highway Patrol reported.

City News Service contributed to this report.