Seven suspicious brush fires broke out overnight in the Lancaster and Palmdale areas, Los Angeles County fire officials say, and authorities believe they were started by a car's engine failure.
The brush fires burned along hillsides near the 14 Freeway between Pearblossom Highway in Palmdale and Avenue H in Lancaster. The first fire, reported about 12:30 a.m., started near Avenue K in Lancaster.
Most fires, burning a mixture of grass and brush, were contained right away, officials said.
The largest fire measured at 1.8 acres just south of Avenue S. The southbound lanes of the freeway were temporarily shut down as firefighters extinguished the blaze.