A couple of brush fires kept the Orange County Fire Authority busy Saturday in Rancho Santa Margarita and Ladera Ranch.
The first was described as a 1.5-acre fire behind homes in Dove Canyon. The OCFA was called at 2:19 p.m. and, after arriving at the site behind homes on Muirfield, took about 30 minutes to control the blaze.
The OCFA helicopter, called away from a in Caspers Wilderness Park off Ortega Highway, made a few water drops from the nearby lake to speed the effort, which included about 40 firefighters.
According to OCFA spokesman Kris Concepcion, the fire was about 30 feet from the nearest house, but didn't represent a significant threat because it moved in a different direction. The cause of the fire is being investigated, but it appeared to start just beyond the fenceline.
A similar scenario took place in the Ladera Ranch community of Covenant Hills near Christopher Street. A fire began about 100 feet from a residence and burned away from the homes. Also engaging about 40 firefighters, it likewise took about 30 minutes to control and burned about 1 acre.
The second fire was dispatched at 3:03 p.m. In both instances, the OCFA arrived on scene in nine minutes.
