THOUSAND OAKS : Children Suspected of Starting Brush Fire
A 2 1/2-acre brush fire burned its way to the back-yard fences of two homes in the Westlake area of Thousand Oaks on Friday before Ventura County firefighters put it out, officials said.
It took firefighters less than an hour to douse the lunchtime blaze in the 2600 block of Hartglen Avenue.
Fire officials believe the blaze was started by children playing with matches in a tree fort.
The weed abatement program also played a role in preventing the flames from reaching the homes, dispatcher Vicki Crabtree said. The program requires property owners to clear weeds from within 100 feet of a structure.
“All the weeds were gone, so there was nothing to burn,†Crabtree said.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
