Two new brush fires erupt in L.A., Riverside counties

A Palos Verdes Peninsula brush fire Thursday burned at least one structure and threatened several others, prompting officials to order evacuations in the Portuguese Bend area.

The fire, which has charred about 30 acres, is one of two new wildfires that erupted Thursday in Southern California.

In Riverside County, a fire has scorched 400 acres near Hemet, but does not appear to be threatening structures, officials said. 

More than 150 firefighters battled the fast-moving Palos Verdes Peninsula blaze in thick vegetation. They were aided by several water-dropping helicopters, said Capt. Mike Brown, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Meanwhile, the fire three miles east of Hemet was burning scrubby terrain in the San Bernardino National Forest near California Highway 74, the Riverside County Fire Department said.

The blaze did not appear to be threatening structures, officials said.

--Robert J. Lopez

Photo courtesy of KTLA News.

Comments

[Malaga]

I can see the flames and smoke. There are a lot of homes in the north of the fire. No evacuation for our neighborhood yet... hopefully they will put it out soon.

[Evelyn]

Damn ... that looks like a barn. Portuguese Bend is a very horsey area. While I hope no one loses a human home, as someone who lost a horse in a barn fire, I cannot look at that kind of picture and not imagine the terror of any animal stuck within.

There are times when I really hate living in Southern California. This time of year is one of them.