Brush Fire Gets Dangerously Close To Homes In Granada Hills

GRANADA HILLS (CBSLA)  --  City firefighters, with an assist from L.A. County Fire Department, battled a brush fire in Granada Hills Saturday afternoon.

The blaze burned about a half acre in a half hour, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The blaze broke out near 16650 W. Knollwood Drive about 3:20 p.m., fire department spokeswoman Amy Bastman said.
The fire was also threatening some structures along a nearby golf course, Bastman said.

Some residents were visible fighting back flames with fire hoses.

As least one home was damaged heavily. At least three other homes had exterior and roof damage. Two cars were reportedly destroyed.

Los Angeles County Fire Department has sent four camp crews, one water- dropping helicopter and a battalion chief to assist city firefighters.

CBS2's Adrianna Weingold reported from the scene.

She said it was a scary situation for residents in the Knollwood Country Club Estates area.

One resident told Weingold she was in the pool with her kids when she first saw ash falling. In the distance she saw flames and a huge plume of smoke and called 911. She also said she went door-to-door alerting neighbors.

"This kind of weather and this kind of heat,  you're terrified, " said resident Kay Radford.

"Oh my God," said resident Ken Gosselin, "I was in the house and all of a sudden I saw flames rise above the golf course and we were scared to death. The flames came right up to my back lawn.

Firefighters said it took 102 of them to put the blaze out.

One firefighters was treated for heat-related medical complaints.