Brush Fire Scorches Laguna Niguel On 4th Of July

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA —Firefighters raced to tackle a brush fire Thursday afternoon, during the Fourth of July festivities in Laguna Niguel's wildland, Orange County Fire Authority reported.

Smoke and flames were reported in the Laguna Niguel Regional Park at just before 2 p.m., a department spokesperson said.

Two acres burned, and two homes were threatened during the incident, they said. One witness reported that the fire was near the exit to the lake, though the brush fire did not trap recreational visitors.

Two OCFA helicopters made water drops over the area, and forward progress was halted in under half an hour.

"Two homes were threatened, and structure defense engines were in place," OCFA spokesperson reported over Twitter.