ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Three weeks after a brush fire in the Hollywood Hills torched 150 acres and threatened the famed Hollywood sign, firefighters were recognized Friday for their work in keeping the blaze away from the Oakwood Toluca Hills apartment complex.

 

Two out-of-state teenagers, who were temporarily living at the sprawling complex on North Barham Boulevard with one of the youth's parents, later came forward and admitted responsibility for the fire that broke out behind Oakwood on March 30.

 

Firefighters from the city, county, Burbank and nearby Warner Bros. Studios fought the flames, which also came too close for comfort to Universal Studios, Forest Lawn Memorial-Park, Hollywood Hills and the Upper Hollywood Reservoir.

 

"The real heroes were the fire departments that went up on that hillside over there, and I want to tell you it is steep," said Howard Ruby, founder and chairman of Oakwood Worldwide.

 

Firefighters were presented with plaques at a brief morning ceremony at Oakwood, where employees and residents planted trees and shrubs to replace greenery scorched in the fire.