Brush fire erupts near buildings amid record Southern California heat wave

Fire erupts near buildings in hot Southern Calif.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Southern California firefighters are battling a small fire burning in brushy hills near structures in the Ventura County city of Thousand Oaks.

The county Fire Department says the blaze was reported shortly after 2 p.m. Monday and has been estimated at 50 acres and is 50 percent contained.

Helicopters are dropping water and 200 firefighters working in fierce heat have been carrying hoses to the fire lines while a bulldozer has been making progress cutting open space between the flames and brush.

It’s one of several small fires that have erupted as California is in the grip of a heat wave.