Pair of Westlake fires keep local residents on edge

Newbury Park residents Jim Greer and his son Mitch are part of a family that's been fighting fires for three generations.

Greer, who has 25 years of experience as a reserve with the Ventura County Fire Department, was watching the July 6 blaze as it devoured brush on a rocky hillside near Lake Sherwood. The flames were moving quickly downhill toward rural Highway 23, south of Potrero Road.

"The fire is pulling the air out of the canyon and making its own weather," said Greer, whose job was to make sure embers didn't cross the road and threaten homes at the top of a ridge on the other side.

By 4 p.m., the fire had consumed 50 acres, but low winds helped crews control the wildfire in the Lake Sherwood area and it was fully contained by Friday night.

One firefighter suffered from heat exhaustion while battling the flames. He was airlifted from the Carlisle Canyon area for treatment.

"The firefighters worked hard . . . climbing those steep hills with hoses to put that fire out," said Capt. Barry Parker, spokesperson for the Ventura County Fire Department.

HOT SPOTS-Above, Westlake Village resident Chuck Ungermann captured this image of a helicopter in action from his home overlooking Westlake Lake on Saturday. Inset above, Acorn photographer Bill Sparkes shot these firefighters and hand crews making their way up a slope near Potrero Road and Westlake Boulevard to battle the Lake Sherwood area fire on Friday. Other residents were busy with the camera as well. For more images of the two fires, please see page 28A. The wildfire started in the Williamsburg Way area of Lake Sherwood.

Ventura County, L.A. City, L.A. County and California Department of Forestry fire services responded with about 400 firefighters.

Although it was quickly controlled, the blaze caused concern for local residents.

Sycamore Canyon resident Richard Cozak was waiting anxiously at a roadblock at the mouth of the canyon. His 4-yearold child and a nanny were still at home, but Cozak wasn't permitted to pass through the roadblock. Two California Highway Patrol officers reassured him that residents would be evacuated if they were in danger.

1. A helicopter pours water on a hillside south of the 101 Freeway near Lindero Canyon Road on Sat., July 8. The Westlake resident said he was confident in the firefighters' ability to contain the blaze. "I saw what they did in Fox Canyon last year," Cozak said. "These guys are heroes as far as I'm concerned.

"But it's still scary," Cozak continued. "It's a beautiful but dry area and there's a lot of brush," he said.

During the fire, voluntary evacuations were made in the Carlisle Canyon area.

A second brushfire began at about 5 p.m. Saturday south of the 101 Freeway in the hills east of Lindero Canyon in Westlake Village. Firefighters managed to control the 50-acre blaze in about two hours.

Homes were briefly threatened but no injuries were reported. One firefighter suffered from heat exhaustion while fighting the blaze.

Neither fire spread because there was no wind, according to Inspector Ed Lozano with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. When the Santa Anas strike a brush fire it creates hurricane-force winds, Lozano said.

2. Another helicopter joins the action. Fire officials are still investigating the cause of both fires.

3. Plumes of smoke block the Lake Sherwood sunlight during the Thurs., July 6 fire. 4. Westlake Lake residents watch as water is taken. 5. Teenage boys chip in with shovels in the Saturday fire. 6. A helicopter shows how it's done. 7. Chet Schreiber protects the property next to his Westlake Village home.