A brush fire broke out Wednesday morning in the Calabasas area of Los Angeles County, drawing a rapid response from firefighters and prompting aerial water drops as crews worked to keep the blaze from spreading through dry hillside vegetation.
The fire, dubbed the Jasper Fire by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, was reported at approximately 9:30 a.m. near the intersection of Las Virgenes Road and Mulholland Highway. By mid-morning, the fire had burned approximately 5 acres and was spreading uphill at a moderate rate. Aerial footage showed thick black smoke rising over the hillsides as at least one water-dropping helicopter made repeated runs on the flames.
What the Jasper Fire crews are dealing with on the ground
Firefighters from the Los Angeles County Fire Department were deployed to the hillsides to attack the fire from the ground while aerial resources worked from above. The cause of the fire had not been determined as of Wednesday morning, and officials had not released details about what may have ignited the blaze.
No buildings appeared to be under immediate threat as of the initial reports, though power lines are present in the area, which adds a layer of complexity to the firefighting effort. No evacuation orders had been issued as of Wednesday morning, and authorities indicated they were actively monitoring the situation to assess whether conditions on the ground warranted any protective action for nearby residents.
Southern California’s ongoing wildfire pressure
The Jasper Fire arrives less than a week after several significant fires burned through other parts of Southern California. The Sandy Fire in Simi Valley scorched more than 1,700 acres and triggered major evacuations. The Bain Fire burned in Riverside County, and the Santa Rosa Island Fire consumed nearly 17,000 acres in a separate incident. Together those fires underscored the persistent and elevated wildfire risk that defines the region, particularly as temperatures rise and vegetation dries out heading into the summer months…