Firefighters put out Banning Ranch fire

Firefighters from three cities responded to a fire at the Banning Ranch oil field, authorities said Thursday.

Firefighters from Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa responded to a call of a building ablaze near West 17th Street and Monrovia Avenue on the oil field about 8:16 p.m. Wednesday, said Newport Beach Fire Department spokeswoman Jennifer Schulz.

Firefighters confined the fire to an outbuilding used for storage, Schulz said. Unconfirmed reports said people were seen fleeing the area, she said.

Initially, Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies were on scene. Authorities cleared the area about 11:56 p.m. Wednesday.

About $5,000 in damage was reported. An investigation into the cause is ongoing.

A second fire was called in at 9:06 p.m. near Santa Barbara Drive and Jamboree Road.

A 20-by-40-foot area with brush 4 to 7 feet tall caught fire, and it was put out in minutes, Schulz said.

— Lauren Williams

Twitter: @lawilliams30