A 40-acre Malibu brush fire is 60 percent contained, fire officials say
A fire that chewed through about 40 acres of brush on a Malibu hillside was 60 percent contained late Friday afternoon, officials said.
The fire was reported around 11:30 a.m. Friday in the area of Pacific Coast Highway and Sweetwater Canyon Road, according to the county fire department, which had the blaze 60 percent contained by about 2 p.m. No evacuations were ordered.
A pair of water-dropping helicopter crews were initially dispatched to the fire. The blaze went to a second alarm shortly before noon, with fire commanders requesting additional personnel along with two fixed-wing aircraft and another helicopter.
About 1 p.m., the fire commanders released the fixed-wing aircraft and the helicopters from the firefighting effort.
Firefighters planned to remain in the area through the evening and overnight to completely douse the flames and watch for any flare-ups.
Winds were light in the area and temperatures were relatively mild in the coastal area.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, and no indication of what sparked the blaze.
A brush fire burns 40 acres on the slopes of the Santa Monica Mountains above Malibu before its forward progress is stopped. https://t.co/QOaEo2iC0X pic.twitter.com/f6SBeek7nb
— Ventura County Star (@vcstar) August 30, 2019
#BREAKING: Smoke from a 3-acre fire burning off the PCH and Sweetwater Canyon Road in Malibu. The fire is moving uphill. pic.twitter.com/7l1vFRzklh
— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) August 30, 2019
MALIBU FIRE: Blaze has now burned 40 acres and is 20% contained, @LACoFDPIO says https://t.co/MeTkJtHNjn pic.twitter.com/ItkbrEv4ap
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) August 30, 2019
**Advisory** Fire at Sweetwater Mesa / PCH in Malibu. Deputies are currently on scene with LA County Fire. The fire is currently 5-10 acres, not yet contained. There are NO evacuations. Sweetwater Mesa is currently closed. Unknown ETA. Updates to follow. pic.twitter.com/lKkRwTQgFX
— LASD Lost Hills Stn. (@LHSLASD) August 30, 2019