3 More Brush Fires Added to Arson Toll

Three brush fires, which investigators said were deliberately set during a three-hour period, destroyed more than 65 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties Wednesday.

The fires bring to 13 the number of brush fires that Los Angeles county authorities believe have been set in the past year.

They believe that a single arsonist is responsible for 11 of the brush fires that occurred before Wednesday. Investigators would not comment on whether the fires Wednesday could have been the work of the same person.

No one was injured and no homes were threatened by the fires Wednesday, authorities said.

The three fires, within three miles of each other, were “definitely set,” said Larry Titus, chief arson investigator for the Ventura County Fire Department. “There was nothing to cause them to set off accidentally or naturally.”

“All of these fires were of a suspicious origin,” said Los Angeles County Inspector Ken Sotro. Two of the fires were in Ventura County, and the third was in Los Angeles County.

The first fire, reported at 12:18 p.m. at Lindero Canyon Road and Triunfo Canyon Road in Westlake Village, destroyed about 15 acres, said John Lenihan, a Los Angeles County fire inspector.

Lenihan said it took about 90 firefighters from Westlake Village and Agoura Hills about two hours to contain the blaze.

The second, at Westlake Boulevard just south of Portrero Road in Ventura County, was reported at 1:56 p.m. and destroyed nearly 50 acres, said John Wade, a Ventura County Fire Department spokesman. He said it took nearly three hours for 175 firefighters, assisted by four helicopters, to contain the blaze.

The third, at Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Via Colinas in Ventura County destroyed one acre and was extinguished by water dropped from a helicopter soon after it was reported at 2:44 p.m., Wade said.

Los Angeles County firefighters assisted in the two Ventura County fires.

Sotro said investigators were questioning witnesses who claimed to have seen someone starting the fire at Thousand Oaks Boulevard.

Another brush fire at Highland View Drive and Adornos Way in Burbank destroyed 15 acres, but was not believed to have been deliberately set, said Burbank Fire Capt. Jack Mitchell. Its cause was under investigation.

The fire was reported at 4:28 p.m. and was contained by 6 p.m. by Glendale, Los Angeles County and Los Angeles firefighters, Mitchell said.