Firefighters battle 7-acre brush fire in Montecito Heights park

MONTECITO HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles firefighters battled a small brush fire in Ernest Debs Park in the Montecito Heights area Saturday afternoon.

The fire was initially estimated at about three acres and grew to about seven acres, but firefighters appeared to be getting a good handle on the blaze.

It was first reported around 2:30 p.m., burning into the park and running uphill where it approached a ridge overlooking the 110 Freeway near Highland Park. Water-dropping helicopters were able to stop the forward progress.

By 4:44 p.m. firefighters reported there was little active flame remaining but they stayed on scene for mop-up duty.

Winds were mostly calm.

No structures were damages and no firefighters were injured. Residents of neighboring communities as far as Pasadena were reporting smoke and ash dropping onto their homes.