MISSION VIEJO – Firefighters extinguished a 20-acre brush fire near the Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club course in Mission Viejo on Tuesday afternoon. Investigators said the fire was started when a golfer hit a rock and produced sparks.

“The golfer had hit the ball into the rough,” Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Larry Kurtz said. “As he was trying to get it out he accidentally hit a rock and it started a fire.”

Kurtz said the golfer was cooperative and tried to put out the sparks but the flames grew fast and “got out of control.” The blaze, reported at 2:30 p.m., soon grew to several acres.

Homes on Foliate Way and Snow Bush Street were threatened but some neighbors were scared and left their homes. The Galovan family at 43 Foliate was in the home closest to the flames.

“Getting the family out was a priority,” said Scott Galovan. Son Tyler, 8, saved his ant farm and brought it along in the car. “I wanted them to be safe. I was scared when I saw the flames.”

The blaze was reported under control by 4 p.m. after 145 firefighters, several fire engines and three water-dropping helicopters worked to extinguish the flames in the mountainous area, Kurtz said. No injuries or damage to structures was reported.

Fire officials said the blaze was not intentional but the agency’s investigations unit would decide if the golfer, who was not identified, could face consequences.

It is not unheard of for golf clubs to start a fire. A 2014 UCI study found that clubs were likely the cause of several blazes in Orange County.

Marie Ekberg Padilla contributed to this report.

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