It was almost 1 pm on April 23, 2026, when Culver City Fire Department crews responded to a grass fire near Jefferson Boulevard and Lotz Lane, close to the Baldwin Hills Stairs and Culver City Park/Bill Botts Field. Firefighters arrived to find approximately one acre of grass burning on the south side of Jefferson, extending toward the baseball fields.
With support arriving from the Los Angeles City Fire Department, coordinated crews quickly began to take steps to contain the fire. As a precaution, the road was closed along Jefferson from Hetzler to Duquesne.
Alerts went out via text for people to avoid the area, beginning at 1:17 pm, and for anyone at the park to evacuate as quickly as possible. The final communication declaring that the fire was contained was sent at 2:14 pm, less than an hour later.
Forward progress of the fire was stopped in approximately 45 minutes. Crews stayed on the scene to extinguish any and all possible ‘hotspots’ and ensure complete containment.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Judith Martin-Straw
Photo courtesy of CCFD
