Brush fire near Warner Bros. Studios shows signs of slowing down, injures firefighter

Los Angeles firefighters made significant progress Saturday night in their battle to contain a brush fire near Warner Bros. Studios, authorities said.

The fire started just before 2 p.m. in the 3600 block of Barham Boulevard and burned about 34 acres before firefighters were able to halt its forward progress, the Los Angeles Fire Department said on Twitter. More than 230 firefighters — assisted by five water-dropping helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft — were battling the blaze at its peak.

By 5 p.m., ground crews were racing to douse hot spots and set up a containment line, officials said. By 6:30 p.m., the fire was 15% contained.

With minimal wind in the area, there were no structures damaged or immediately threatened, officials said.

“While there are no formal evacuation orders, a handful of persons living closest to the fire, and being affected by smoke only, were directly contacted and encouraged to shelter in place at their residence,” the Fire Department said. Warner Bros. evacuated its lot as a precaution.

One firefighter suffered non-life threatening injuries to an arm and leg and was transported to a hospital for treatment, LAFD spokesman Brian Humphrey said. No other injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

Images posted on social media Saturday afternoon showed gray smoke clouds billowing over the nearby Warner lot.

The fire burned just across the Los Angeles River from the Warner lot and nearby Universal Studios Hollywood, Humphrey said. It was also a short distance from the Hollywood Reservoir and the Wonder View trail, both popular hiking and walking destinations on weekends.