Old Fire: Calabasas wildfire 30% contained, but crews have 'very large challenge'

Fire crews made progress in their battle oveight to contain a fire that threatened thousands of home in the Calabasas and Topanga areas, but another hot day threatens that progress, officials said Sunday moing.

The Old Fire -- as it has been dubbed -- has consumed 516 acres and is 30 percent contained, said Los Angeles County Fire Deputy Fire Chief John Tripp.

“Oveight we made a lot of good progress in increasing the containment,” particularly on the north and west end of the blaze, Tripp said.

• Photos: Firefighters keep a close eye on the Old Fire Sunday

But he added that there is still a “very large challenge” on the east and south sides of the fire that will prohibit the more than 5,000 residents to retu to the 3,700 homes that were evacuated.

“We do truly believe there truly still is risk,” he said, adding it was still very difficult to do a direct attack in rugged terrain.

He was worried that the fire could get moving again as the day heats up.

The blaze started about 4:15 p.m. Saturday when a pickup truck struck a power pole in the 23000 block of Mulholland Highway in Calabasas, Deputy Jeffrey A. Gordon said in a statement.

• Map: Location of the Old Fire buing off Mullholland Highway

Witnesses reported that the truck was traveling at a high rate of speed before hitting the pole and knocking it over. The transformer exploded and set the dry brush on fire, he said.

Around a half-dozen neighborhoods in the path of the fire were evacuated, including mandatory evacuations at Calabasas Highlands, Eddingham and Adamsville and voluntary evacuations in adjacent areas.

By 2 a.m., Calabasas residents were allowed to retu to their homes, albeit many without power.

“We made a lot of great progress on the north of side of the fire and south side of the fire,” Tripp said.

• Social Media: A look at how the Old Fire in Calabasas began and response to it

But it was rugged terrain in the Topanga area of the fire that was conceing firefighters.

Tripp said they were worried that as a fourth day of extreme heat grips the west San Feando Valley, “We could have the exact situation....” as Saturday.

That’s because “extremely” dry conditions brought by drought have fueled the fire, sparking spot blazes through the area.

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All told, three firefighters were injured. Two homes were damaged -- but not destroyed. And one large building, used as a camp events structure, was completely destroyed, Tripp said.

Four hundred firefighters from multiple agencies were battling the blaze.

• Photos: Firefighters work to contain the Old Fire in Calabasas Saturday

Fire officials are on a recoaissance flights Sunday moing to assess the movement of the fire.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department sent said it sent at least 35 deputies from several sheriff’s stations to assist Calabasas residents evacuate their homes.

The majority of the evacuations were mandatory and some residents left voluntarily.

Residents have been directed to shelters at Agoura High School at 28585 West Driver Ave.

• Related Story: Old Fire in Calabasas bus more than 500 acres, threatens thousands of homes

Residents can board their horses and large animals at Pierce College at 6201 Wietka Ave. in Woodland Hills.

And small pets and animals can be taken to the Agoura Animal Care Center at 29525 Agoura Road in Agoura Hills, the department said.

CHP officers have closed Topanga Canyon Boulevard to all traffic between Mulholland Highway and Old Topanga Canyon Road, in the heart of the canyon village. The southe part of the unincorporated Topanga Canyon community was not evacuated, and a roadblock at Pacific Coast Highway prevented all but residents from approaching the village from the Malibu coast.

City News Service contributed to this report.