Spot Fires Erupt Near 405 Freeway Following Sepulveda Pass Brush Fire

BRENTWOOD, CA — Several hot spots from a small brush fire in the Sepulveda Pass area flared up again Thursday evening after Los Angeles city firefighters extinguished the blaze. The firefighting effort was expected to slow traffic on the San Diego (405) Freeway Thursday evening, authorities warned.

There were no evacuation warnings as of 6:30 p.m.

About 150 firefighters and three helicopters are keeping the hot spots from growing further following a quarter-acre of brush in the area of 2400 N. Sepulveda Blvd., near Mountaingate Drive.

Firefighters had extinguished a brush fire in the same Brentwood area hours earlier.

" Lingering wind during the final extinguishment phase and overhaul of the earlier one-quarter (0.25) acre brush fire between Sepulveda Boulevard and southbound lanes of the San Diego (I405) Freeway, has led to several stubborn hot spots developing in volatile light-to-medium brush beyond the initial containment line," he fire department reported.

The initial fire broke out just before 4 p.m. at 2400 North Sepulveda Boulevard next to the 405. Firefighters extinguished the fire in 21 minutes with no injuries and no structure damage, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

"The closure of Sepulveda Boulevard and at least one lane of the southbound 405 Freeway in the vicinity of the fire, is anticipated until LAFD operations are complete," the fire department warned. "Motorists should anticipate congestion and delay in the area, consider an alternate route and monitor traffic reports."

The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to LAFD.

There was significant traffic on the northbound Interstate 405 near the fire Thursday afternoon.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.