Evacuations Ordered While Firefighters Battled Burbank Brush Fire
BURBANK (CBSLA.com) — Mandatory evacuations were ordered then later lifted Wednesday in the Verdugo Hills section of Burbank while firefighters battled a three-alarm brush fire.
Officials say several homes were threatened.
Both air and ground crews responded to the area.
Evacuation areas included Howard Court and Viewcrest Drive, said the Burbank Police Department.
Homes in the hilly area are upscale with many having tennis courts and large pools.
The fire was reported to have started near the 1000 block of Hamline Place. It was about 1 acre before it spread to neighboring areas.
Burbank Fire Battalion Chief Ron Barone said no structures were burned.
Sky9 was overhead when helicopters began water drops.
While firefighters said they were getting a handle on the fire and beating back the flames, an expanded evacuation was also ordered as a precaution.
Just before 4 p.m.,Burbank police Sgt. Derek Green said the evacuation order was extended to include homes on Haven Way and
Reynolds Drive and Reynolds Court. He estimates that 60-70 homes were affected by the earlier order, and the extension included about 50-60 more.
As of 4:30 p.m., Burbank Fire said the fire had grown to 10 acres.
On the ground, KCAL9's Tom Wait said the various crews -- Burbank Fire, LA City Fire and LA County Fire -- each had ground crews working the scene.
Meanwhile, CBS2's Peter Daut spoke to a man who built his home.
While John Caruso got emotional at the idea his home could have been lost, he was expressing more gratitude that no one was hurt or injured.
A home, he said, could be replaced.
"That's what insurance is for," he said, "A home is just ... stuff. Stuff can be replaced."
The mandatory evacuations involving about 100 homes was lifted just after 8:30 p.m.