High Temperatures Fuel Silver Lake Brush Fire That Destroys 3 Buildings, Damages 2 Homes

SILVER LAKE (CBSLA.com) — High temperatures fueled a brush fire in Silver Lake that destroyed three out-buildings and damaged two homes Sunday.

It took firefighters 44 minutes to knock down the blaze.

The damaged homes were on Corralitas Drive. One sustained exterior damage and the other, attic damage.

"I was scared," said Pascual Gutierrez, who saw the flames heading toward his home and dialed 911. "I was like, 'Wow, we better hurry up!' "

"I smelled the smoke and I heard my neighbor, Pascual, screaming and yelling, 'Fire,' " said Simon Cheon, who lives a few doors down.

The two grabbed garden hoses amid the flames, some which were 30-feet high, but said firefighters arrived quickly.

PHOTO GALLERY: High Temperatures Fuel Silver Lake Brush Fire

One firefighter said crews battled two fires, which burned on both sides of the 2 Freeway, shutting the thoroughfare down for a few hours.

The fire burned eight acres amid 100-degree temperatures and was reported at 1:04 p.m.

The LAFD said nearly 200 firefighters responded. At its peak, as many as 20 homes were threatened on Corralitas Drive, Lake View and Silver Ridge avenues.

Homeowners felt very fortunate their homes weren't lost.

"I'm really blessed 'cause without this great firemen, all these houses would have been burnt away," Cheon said.

No injuries were reported.