UPDATE (4:12 PM): The fire looks contained with a few hot spots flaring up. The lights flickered on and off in the West Valley near the time the fire started but other than that, and ash falling all around, no structures or people harmed. Reader Shane sends us linkage to his flickr set covering the fire and reader SoundsGoodToMe sends the above pic from his home on the west side of the 101. Thanks all for your updates.
UPDATE (3:40 PM): Thomas sends in the above picture from Glassel Park where he reports it is raining ash.
UPDATE (3:33 PM): The fire looks all white and wispy from where we are which is a good sign. Reader Stephen sends in the above pic of the fire. It's sort of pretty.
UPDATE (2:57 PM): Abby at Franklin and La Brea sends in the above pic of the fiery fire.
UPDATE (2:52): Reader Wynn emails us this picture taken from 6th and Alameda.
UPDATE (2:34): The LA Times says 200 firefighters are at the scene, while at least five helicopters dropped chemicals on the fire.
UPDATE (2:25): Reader Lauren emails us with the above pic taken from the Sunset-Gower Studios in Hollywood.
UPDATE (2:18 PM): Dan Parker links us up to more pics from his site loftla.com, here.
UPDATE (2:15 PM): Co-editor Marissa just called us letting us know sirens are all over the place in Hollywood. Contributor Dakota is looking for verification of the fire via GoogleNews. She does not acknowledge the fire exists until its searchable by Google. Co-editor Cary still sobering up.
UPDATE: Apparently, there is some big ass brush fire swallowing a hillside just east of Universal City. Dan Parker sent in the picture above. From our office in Woodland Hills, the plume of smoke is quite visible (below).
"A brush fire erupted and spread over an estimated 18-20 acres near Burbank and Universal City on Friday. The fire started next to the Oakwood Toluca Hills, a corporate housing complex. A call to the Oakwood complex was not immediately returned
"Fortunately today the winds are relatively light," said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Ron Myer.
Helicopters made water drops as a huge column of smoke rose over greater Los Angeles. "
· Brush Fire Breaks Out in Universal City [abc7]