Roundup: Brush Fires Burn Around Southern California
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- Several brush fires burned around the Southland Sunday.
The fires varied in size but all had one thing in common -- giving people who lived nearby dread.
The fires erupted in the Antelope Valley, Simi Valley and near Glendora. One stopped traffic, one forced campers to flee and one came dangerously-close to buildings.
With warm temperatures, Southern California was particularly susceptible to fire this weekend. Fortunately, in most of the areas that burned Sunday, winds were not a factor.
KCAL9's Jeff Nguyen spoke to residents who were affected by the blazes.
Andrea Schmaltz and her husband faced a series of road and freeway ramp closures as they tried to get to their Chatsworth home.
"So they closed Topanga, closed Rocky Peak, Kuehner you can get off. You have to come back around," she said.
A stretch of Santa Susana Pass Road was also closed.
This all happened because of a fire that burned nearly nine acres – after a man drove his car off the road and struck a power pole.
He managed to crawl out but he had to be taken to a hospital and treated for burns.
In Lancaster officials said more than 200 acres were charred following a brush fire.
Dave Whiteside owns the wildlife habitat that was spared of any structural damage.
"Thank God the LA County Fire department is so dog gone good," Whiteside said.
In the Angeles National Forest -- near Azusa -- the Sheriff's Department used a helicopter to deliver medical aid.
A firefighter suffered minor injuries after a rock rolled down a hill and hit his leg while battling the Fork Fire. At last check, that fire had burned more than 60 acres.
Fire experts say the relatively large fires in one day should serve as a reminder that fire season is year round here.
"In Southern California we know we're going to get more fires. We're not done yet. Look at last year, we had a fire in December," says Nathan Judy with the USDA Forest Service.
Back in Chatsworth, the car crash caused power lines to break and fall onto Santa Susana Pass Road which leads to Andrea Schmaltz's home where her teenage son was home alone while the power was out.
"That's an awkward feeling," she said, "He's old enough but you never like to have them in that situation."
Santa Susana Pass Road is expected to remain closed through Sunday evening between Rocky Peak and Topanga to allow Edison crews to fix the power lines.
