Brush Fire Destroys Homes In Whittier

WHITTIER, CA — A wind-driven brush fire destroyed two homes in Whittier Thursday afternoon, and Los Angeles County firefighters were battling to protect nearby houses.

The blaze quickly engulfed one home and spread to a second home shortly after 3 p.m. Driven by intense wind gusts and 90-degree heat, the flames are rushing uphill in the 4800 block Cinco View Drive. The fire department announced just before 4:30 p.m. that forward progress of the fire was stopped at about four acres and was 20% contained. No injuries were immediately reported.

Ground and aircrews battled to stop the spread of the blaze dubbed the Sycamore Fire, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. There were no reports of injuries or evacuations.

The fire sent up a plume of smoke that could be seen for miles across the Los Angeles and Orange County border.

The cause of the brush fire is under investigation.

The blaze is one of two brush fires driven by the Santa Ana winds in Southern California Thursday.

The 150-acre Emerald Fire in Laguna Beach triggered widespread evacuations and threatened multi-million homes. As of 3 p.m., that fire was just 10 percent contained, according to an Orange County Fire Authority spokesperson.

City News Service contributed to this report.