Back Bay fire burns 300 square yards

Firefighters quickly extinguished a Back Bay brush fire Wednesday,

averting a larger blaze that could have wiped out a house, officials

said.

Teenagers reported the 2 p.m. fire -- the second blaze in less than a

week in the Back Bay -- at the end of Mariners Drive in Newport Beach.

Thirteen firefighters fought the blaze, descending a steep slope and

using forestry shovels and heavy rakes to cut a trail around it. The fire

was contained to 300 square yards and extinguished within 15 minutes,

said Newport Beach Fire Capt. Glenn White.

With winds blowing at 15 mph, the fire’s close proximity to a home

with shake shingles and the extreme dryness of the brush created the

potential to cause severe damage, White said.

“This slope contained thorny vegetation and was extremely steep, which

madefighting the fire extremely difficult,” White said. “Cattails were

burning hot and heavy.”No one was injured in the blaze, and the cause is

under investigation.Officials stress the importance of maintaining a

sufficient safety zone with well-maintained landscaping around homes.