50 Acres Burned In Sepulveda Fire In Bel-Air Area

LOS ANGELES, CA — Two firefighters were injured and more than 50 acres scorched Wednesday morning in a brush fire that broke out in a Skirball Fire burn scar area. More than 200 firefighters are battling the blaze east of the San Diego (405) Freeway in the Sepulveda Pass in Bel-Air with the help of five water- dropping helicopters.

By Wednesday morning rush hour, the fire was 25% contained, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The fire was reported at about 12:15 a.m. in the 1300 block of North Sepulveda Boulevard, near Getty Center Drive, according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department. No homes were immediately threatened by the fire. By 2:45 a.m., the forward progress of the fire had been stopped.

"The heel of the fire remains on Sepulveda Boulevard at Getty Center Drive, with the fire having moved slowly eastward, the blaze's flanks stretching north and south from there," Humphrey said. "Though progress is being made, the fire has yet to be fully controlled and no containment factor has been estimated," Humphrey said.

Video from the scene showed the fire moving uphill. No structures were imminently threatened and no evacuation order was given, he said.

Two firefighters suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were being treated at the scene, Humphrey said. No civilian injuries were reported.

"There is a mix of burned, un-burned and partially burned vegetation within the fire area," Margaret Stewart of the LAFD said at about 9 a.m. "Today, the crews will continue to work through the steep, difficult terrain to complete the fire line and increase containment. Weather remains critical with 96 (degree) temperatures, 9% humidity and winds at 9mph."

Both directions of the San Diego Freeway remained open, but the off- ramp at Getty Center Drive from the northbound 405 Freeway will remain closed until fire operations are complete, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Sepulveda Boulevard in both directions near Getty Center Drive was closed and drivers were being encouraged to allow for extra time to travel through the area, Humphrey said.

The cause of the fire was unknown.

The Skirball Fire erupted Dec. 6, 2017, scorched 422 acres over the next 10 days, damaged 12 homes and prompted the evacuation of about 700 homes and an apartment building in the Bel-Air area. Three firefighters were injured in the fire, which was determined to have been caused by an illegal cooking fire at a homeless encampment in a brush area next to where Sepulveda Boulevard crosses under the San Diego Freeway.

City News Service and Patch Reporter Paige Austin contributed to this report.