Kanan Fire burns 5 acres near Westlake Boulevard Play

A brush fire burned about 5 acres of brush near subdivisions at the north end of Kanan Road, about 20 miles north of Malibu, yesterday.

The fire broke out — cause unknown — at about 2:10 yesterday afternoon. It was near a cluster of houses surrounded by brush off Westlake Boulevard north of the end of Kanan.

By 2:30, the fire had been named the Kanan Fire and it was putting up smoke clearly visible from the 101 Freeway. The blaze was reported around 2:10 p.m. near Westlake Boulevard and East Kanan Road, according to initial fire reports.

People in nearby houses were warned to get ready to evacuate. 130 firefighters, 55 fire trucks and multiple helicopters were sent to the fire. The choppers used Bard Reservoir, near the Reagan Library, to fill their water tanks.

The fire reached about 5 acres before forward progress had been stopped.