Lightning reportedly sparked a small fire in the Santa Monica Mountains, off Yerba Buena Road in Ventura County on Sept. 8.
Crews from Ventura and Los Angeles counties responded to the small blaze around 2:40 p.m. Initial reports indicated a small spot fire started by a lightning strike in the area of the Mishe Mokwa trailhead near Sandstone Peak, part of a coastal stretch of the Santa Monicas.
Thunderstorms had swept through the area, as remnants of Hurricane Marie brought humid, stormy conditions throughout Southern California.
As of 3:30 p.m., authorities reported a 5-foot-by-5-foot spot smoldering in the backcountry area, according to radio traffic. While the cause officially remained under investigation, it appeared that lightning had struck
a tree.
A helicopter made multiple water drops over the area while firefighters worked on the ground to make sure the fire was extinguished, officials said. The fire was reported out before 4 p.m.
The Ventura County Fire Department also launched a drone to check for any remaining hot spots. No structures were threatened or damaged by the blaze, and no injuries were reported, authorities said.
The forecast generally called for a lower chance of thunderstorms overall on Wednesday. But the humidity and heat were expected to stick around.
The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning to take effect Wednesday morning. Locally, highs could reach the upper 80s near the coast and over 100 in the hottest inland areas, authorities said.
Temperatures are expected to gradually cool off Friday and into the weekend.
More information about conditions and cooling centers is available at vcemergency.com.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Lightning sparks small fire in county amid thunderstorms, reports say
