Flames, smoke and ash had folks in Burbank looking up into the sky for several hours on Friday, March 30. You may have seen it or heard about it or saw the pictures of the afternoon brushfire that chewed up more than 100 acres of thick, dry vegetation in the Hollywood Hills before being corralled by more than 200 firefighters. True, it was not in the city of Burbank, but it was close enough to rattle nerves and put on a captivating spectacle.

The fire erupted near the Oakwood Toluca Hills apartment complex, popular with up-and-coming actors, at Barham Boulevard and Forest Lawn Drive. The smoke rolled and twisted into towering columns that were visible for miles. Some of the smoke drifted down the hillsides and into the Warner Bros. Studios. At one point, the flames were threatening to swoop down onto the landmark Hollywood sign. The fire definitely got the attention of this entertainment town.

I was out running errands. I first spotted the fire around 2 p.m. while driving west on Olive Avenue. I pulled over and stopped near the Nickelodeon building and grabbed my camera, which just happened to be in the back seat of the car. I took some photos then continued on my way. I made a number of stops around Burbank-- taking care of personal business-- and taking snapshots of the fire.

If I hadn't looked to the hills, there were other reminders that a brushfire was burning nearby. The air irritated my throat and sinuses, made my eyes watery and it had a foul smell. Also, there were ashes falling, flakes and specks, all of it white-- sticking to my clothes, hair-- everything. As I was leaving the Orchard Supply Hardware on North Victory Boulevard,a woman holding a cloth over a toddler's face rushed by me.

By the time I headed for home at around 3:30 p.m., I was driving through a haze created by the fire. It was really weird. A short time later, firefighters had the upper hand on the blaze and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was holding a live news conference. Two male teenagers from Illinois had turned themselves into Burbank Police and according to Villaraigosa, admitted to starting the fire.

Luckily, there were no serious injuries or structures damaged. Over the weekend, I could see fire helicopters buzzing the blackened Hollywood hillsides searching for hot spots. That fire is history, however, officials caution it may be a prelude to a dangerous spring with even more brushfire drama. Southern California has just come through a very dry winter and drought-like conditions exist. It seems the unusually warm weather we have been enjoying has come at a very high price.