By Mary O’KEEFE

A brush fire along the eastbound Foothill (210) Freeway ignited a Jeep and set small fires in the brush in the 3000 block of Encinal Avenue shortly after noon on Tuesday.

Los Angeles County Fire Department continues to investigate the cause of the fire that began in the dry vegetation along the 210 freeway east of the Pennsylvania Avenue exit.

The blaze destroyed about an acre of land. It appeared embers from the fire ignited the Jeep’s top and interior. The Jeep was parked on the south side of Encinal Avenue. Embers also appear to be the cause of a small fire that began in the dry grass area across from where the Jeep was parked.

Several Crescenta Valley High School students park their vehicles on Encinal Avenue. The Jeep was driven to school by a CVHS student who was on campus at the time of the fire.

According to a witness, there were four teenage boys of apparent high school age near the Jeep that appeared to be attempting to put out the fire, but left as the fire department arrived.

LACoFD was assisted by Glendale and Los Angeles City fire departments. Fire camp support arrived by an LACoFD helicopter that landed on the CVHS field.

  Mary Okeefe