Malibu Brush Fire 100 Percent Contained

A traffic crash is believed to have caused a three-alarm brush fire that apparently sparked a second, smaller fire in Malibu this afternoon, closing a busy canyon road.

• Update: Brush Fire Sparks Along Kanan Dume Road

The initial fire was reported at 3:35 p.m. along Kanan Dume Road about two miles north of Pacific Coast Highway, according to county sheriff and fire officials. Embers from that blaze apparently ignited another fire about one- third of a mile away, amid 10- to 15-mile-per-hour winds with occasionally stronger gusts.

About 2.9 acres were burned in the first fire and 1.5 acres in the second blaze, with part of a vineyard getting scorched. Firefighters declared both fires 100 percent contained just before 6 p.m.

Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Keith MoraMora said a vehicle that crashed into utility pole was the likely cause of the first fire, but that has not been confirmed.

Southbound Kanan Dume was closed at Mulholland Drive while northbound lanes were closed at PCH and a SigAlert was issued by the CHP.

Around 225 firefighters and four helicopters were deployed, he said.

--City News Service; Photo KTLA via Twitter