Firefighters Battle 3 Brush Blazes in Southland

At least one structure was burned and several Riverside County residents were evacuated as Southland firefighters battled three brush fires late Thursday in the Inland Empire and the San Fernando Valley, authorities said.

In southern Riverside County, a fire that erupted near the community of Anza burned one structure and forced the evacuation of an undisclosed number of residents. More than 360 firefighters were still fighting the fire late Thursday, and 2,000 acres had burned.

Another fire Thursday scorched 800 acres of hilly terrain along the northern border of the Moreno Valley, authorities said. That fire, which started about 4 p.m., was expected to burn through the night and was threatening a few homes. More than 350 firefighters were battling it.

In Pacoima, a fast-moving brush fire consumed five acres near Whiteman Air Park, coming within 100 feet of homes before firefighters extinguished the flames, authorities said.

Flames, some reportedly 20 feet high, rushed toward about 10 homes with tile roofs near the intersection of Glenoaks Boulevard and Osbourne Street. The fire started just before 5 p.m. and was put out 45 minutes later, said Bob Collis, a spokesman for the Los Angeles City Fire Department.

Collis said 75 Los Angeles city and county firefighters battled the blaze, along with one county fire and three city fire helicopter crews.