Flames allegedly ignited by two teens sent smoke seeping into the Warner Bros. studios and towering high in the sky behind the famous Hollywood sign Friday before losing intensity. The 150-acre blaze started near a corporate housing complex east of Universal City, south of the Warner Bros. studios complex in Burbank.Two teens from Illinois were in custody and told authorities they caused the fire. He said there was a witness, but he had no other details. "They've admitted that they started this fire," the mayor said at a news conference. He said they were "old enough to know what they were doing." What the heck were these kids doing lighting off fireworks in the Hollywood Hills. Let's see...it's extremely dry, the vegitation is like kindling and we haven't had rain since God knows how long. Smart kids. Got to love that Illinois education system!
For several hours smoke roiled into the sky behind the famous Hollywood sign that stands on the south face of the hills, but the flames made no move down the south face and by late afternoon the landmark appeared to be well out of any danger. The view from where I work at CBS in Hollywood was fantastic, but driving home in the traffic was miserable. Again, thanks boys.
During the height of the fire, Scott Rowe, vice president of corporate communications for Warner Bros. Entertainment said the company was monitoring the situation. I'm sure there were some people at WB who were trying to figure out how to get a film crew out there. Sure would save money when they make this story, the story of two wayward Illinois teens, into a movie-of-the-week or something!
But thanks to the efforts of LA Firefighter's, all was saved. These guys are some of the best damned people in the world. They constantly are putting their lives in danger because of what some idiot did to amuse himself. Didn't people ever hear of video games or Tivo?
Maybe WB should make a movie about our firefighters. At least they are not idiots!
