About 3,000 firefighters were battling the blaze Thursday night, three times more than Wednesday's force. The fire began Wednesday near the 118 Freeway in Chatsworth, then spread west through Box Canyon and south into Bell Canyon. Firefighters are attempting to stop the fire from jumping the 101 Freeway. Authorities said the blaze could burn to the ocean if it jumps the freeway. "Once it jumps the 101 it doesn't stop until it gets to the Pacific Ocean," said Zev Yaroslavsky, county supervisor. "And there are a lot of structures, a lot of neighborhoods, communities in between the 101 and the ocean." The fire was burning Thursday evening toward Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Calabasas and Agoura. Light winds were blowing in the Oak Park area as crews began controlled burns to clear brush, which can feed fires. Fire crews on the ground and in the air prevented the flames from consuming houses. "The two areas we've been watching today are the Bell Canyon area and Oak Park area," said NBC4 forecaster Fritz Coleman. "There was a classic off-shore flow in that area. Winds are, thankfully, down." Temperatures were in the high 90s but were expected to drop over the next few days as humidity rises. Historically, some fires in the region have turned and burned through the Santa Monica Mountains to Malibu and the Pacific Ocean. As of 11 p.m., Thursday: Topanga Fire burned nearly 17,000 acres on border of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Five percent containment Three houses destroyed One firefighter suffered minor injury Six hundred people in shelters 101 Freeway remains open Residents Respond To Evacuation Orders David Nenkervis, 64, was away from his home in Santa Susana Pass when it went up in flames. He returned to find he had also lost several vehicles and his dog was missing. "When you lose everything it's tough to have plans. Right now, my brain is not working. It's all mush. I can't even think about what I'm going to do tomorrow." - David Nenkervis "When you lose everything it's tough to have plans. Right now, my brain is not working. It's all mush. I can't even think about what I'm going to do tomorrow," Nenkervis said. Authorities said residents took evacuation orders seriously in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. "I wasn't going to get stupid about it. There was only one way out, and it was getting real hot," said Jeff Johns, 48. Actor Shelley Berman of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and his Bell Canyon neighbors evacuated Wednesday evening, taking a few items from the home he has lived in since 1984. "We were sitting watching television, had finished a nice dinner, everything was fine. Other people were in serious trouble. Then suddenly, we were moving," said Berman, who went with his wife to a friend's house a few miles away in Westlake. About 45 evacuees gathered at Canoga Park High School in the San Fernando Valley, where the Red Cross had set up cots and provided meals. "Our house is still OK, but, oh, God, it's not a good feeling," said Phil Goldenberg, 53, who was at the school's gym with his wife and son
) (took me 45 min to go 1 mile), not a good time to live here. Came out from dinner and my car was soaked in ash 
