Car crash sparks first major brush fire of the season Play

A car crash in an isolated section of the Santa Monica Mountains caused the first real brush fire of the fire season in the local area. It burned nearly six acres late Friday afternoon.

The fire was reported near the Sandstone Peak trailhead, not far from Circle X Ranch and Boney Peak. Several houses in Carlisle Canyon were briefly threatened, and residents there were cautioned to shelter inside the buildings.

The fire was reportedly in light fuel. It burned up a canyon side before fire trucks from Oxnard and Malibu reached it. Two Firehawk helicopters aided in putting the flames down. Air tankers were en route but were released, according to reports from the scene.

One hundred firefighters on 30 fire trucks were assigned by three fire departments — Ventura County, L.A. County, Point Mugu Navy Base and the City of Oxnard.

After three hours, forward progress was stopped. This is the first big brush fire to break out this summer in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Two people in their 90s were killed in a house fire in Santa Monica yesterday. The fire was in the early morning hours Sunday in a residential house on Lincoln Boulevard, about midway between Montana and San Vicente. Arriving firefighters found the house engulfed in flames. The two victims have not been publicly identified.