Firefighters, residents swiftly contain blaze as it nears Sylmar home
SYLMAR, Calif. (KABC) -- A dramatic brush fire erupted Thursday afternoon in Sylmar, which threatened a nearby neighborhood of homes and prompting a massive response from firefighters on the ground and in helicopters overhead.
The blaze was reported shortly before 2 p.m. near the 15000 block of West Lakeside Street, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
No injuries or structural damage were immediately reported.
Authorities said by 3:34 p.m., forward progress of the fire had stopped at approximately 25 acres, but no structures were damaged.
Video from AIR7 HD showed desperate residents attempting to dowse flames with water from garden hoses as the fire came dangerously close to their houses.
"I just grabbed my own hose and started spraying everything that was close to us," said Antonio Alvarez, whose property is adjacent to the field that burned. "Our neighbor showed up -- I'd never met him in my life. He showed up, thankfully. With buckets, hoses, random hoses, we were able to pretty much control as much as we could."
An LAFD helicopter was seen collecting water from a nearby reservoir and then making water drops while firefighters attacked the flames with fire hoses.
"All the neighbors were panicking because the flames was right next to the homes," said resident Sal Duran. "So they were worried about that."
By around 3 p.m., firefighters appeared to have a handle on the fire as most flames have been extinguished before reaching homes.
Authorities said over 100 LAFD firefighters had responded to the fire.
"Come September, October, when when he have the Santa Ana winds, that's a much different scenario for us," said LAFD Deputy Chief Trevor Richmond. "The fires get very big very quick."
The cause of the fire is under investigation, authorities said.
