How did the southern Calif fires start?

[Little-Acorn]

On Tuesday we had the hot, dry east winds that are always a fire danger when they occur, though they are more common in October than in May. People around here always walk on eggshells during those times, because one dropped match can result in a fast-moving wildfire that this areas is known for.

Sure enough, three wildfires started Tuesday, widely separated. One near my house (Bernardo fire), and two others in the Dulzura area, some 40 miles away. The Dulzura ones were clobbered fast by firefighters, the Bernardo fire lasted longer but is now 75% contained.

And the winds picked up again on Wednesday... and ***9*** separate fires broke out, all north of here, all within a few hours of each other. Some are getting fairly well contained, others are still out of control. Some 20-plus houses have been destroyed so far, nobody killed yet thank God.

But ***9*** fires? All within a 30-mile area???

Map of where the fires are: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/viewer?mid=zwCcp9fuZHOw.k0nyColtCA7s

You can't have a fire without an ignition source. Once it starts, sure, these high winds, coupled with extremely low humidity (5%) and high temperatures (90+F), spread them like, well, wildfire.

But after three fires broke out on Tuesday, one becoming real big real fast, it's impossible to imagine that ANYBODY wasn't being REAL careful about any sparks, open flames, cigarettes, etc. on Wednesday.

And yet nine fires broke out on Wednesday.

WTH??? We usually don't get nine brush fires a month around here. Some people are stupid, but nobody is THAT stupid.

I've heard nothing about how the fires started. Only thing on the radio around here, is some commissioner choosing her words carefully, and saying "There is no CONCLUSIVE evidence about any of these fires being deliberately started."

Hmmm.

If it turns out that all nine fires just happened to be sparks from a fireplace (who lights a fireplace in the middle of the day when it's 90 degrees outside?), a carelessly dropped cigarette, a car with a dragging muffler, etc.... all occurring on the same day in the same area, within a few hours of each other. All purely by coincidence.

That would have to be the coincidence of the century.

So far the firefighters efforts have been concentrated on putting the fires out, and they are doing everything humanly possible.

But eventually the fires will be out, and people will start asking Why.

 

[PaintMyHouse]

Start? Sure looks like arson.

 

[g5000]

It was Kenyans or Mexicans, I tell ya!

 

[Yurt]

10 news is reporting suspicious fires, 5 out of 6

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Start? Sure looks like arson.

You mean "sure looks like Manmade global warming", right?

 

[Katzndogz]

Have you heard the term wildfire jihad? Most of the time the fires start by arson. Some kids are playing. Illegals hiding out lose control of a campfire. Some are started deliberately and the arsonist is never found. We should take wildfire jihad more seriously.

 

[PaintMyHouse]

Start? Sure looks like arson.

You mean "sure looks like Manmade global warming", right?

Nope, that's just not helping.

 

[g5000]

Have you heard the term wildfire jihad? Most of the time the fires start by arson. Some kids are playing. Illegals hiding out lose control of a campfire. Some are started deliberately and the arsonist is never found. We should take wildfire jihad more seriously.

As long as we have some fires burning, we should toss us some wetbacks in there!

 

[HenryBHough]

Later tonight CNN will blame Bush.

 

[Little-Acorn]

Hmmm, looking into what Yurt said:

---------------------------------------------------------

Sources: All but one fire burning in San Diego County has a suspicious ignition point - 10News.com KGTV ABC10 San Diego

Sources: All but one fire burning in San Diego County have a suspicious ignition point

By: Team 10
Posted: 9:56 AM, May 15, 2014
Updated: 1 hour ago

Team 10 sources say all but one of the fires that have been burning across San Diego County have a suspicious ignition point.

'Fire bugs' is the term being used inside the fire agencies. Sources say the fires started in a way that were not normal -- there were no sparks from a lawnmower or car engine, no thrown cigarettes and no cars involved.

One source, a long-time arson investigator who is now retired, told us that CAL FIRE has a crack investigative team that will be looking closely at physical evidence and talking to witnesses to try to determine exactly how these fires started. The San Diego Fire Department also has an investigative team that will be looking into this.

Locals will be asked if they saw anything suspicious or noticed strange activity in their area.

 

[Little-Acorn]

Southern California fires: Arson and bomb investigators probe cause*-*Los Angeles Times

Southern California fires: Arson and bomb investigators probe cause

By Veronica Rocha, Jill Cowan, Tony Perry
May 15, 2014, 4:14 PM

Arson and bomb investigators were looking into what caused the devastating San Diego County wildfires, several of which burned close to roads, officials confirmed Thursday.

Several people were interviewed at the scene of the Lakeside fire near Aurora Drive when it started just after 5 p.m. Wednesday, said San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore.

Authorities have urged the public to call local law enforcement if they see any suspicious activity. Gore said "nothing is too small" to report.

Escondido police briefly detained a man Thursday afternoon but released him.

 

[depotoo]

On Tuesday we had the hot, dry east winds that are always a fire danger when they occur, though they are more common in October than in May. People around here always walk on eggshells during those times, because one dropped match can result in a fast-moving wildfire that this areas is known for.

Sure enough, three wildfires started Tuesday, widely separated. One near my house (Bernardo fire), and two others in the Dulzura area, some 40 miles away. The Dulzura ones were clobbered fast by firefighters, the Bernardo fire lasted longer but is now 75% contained.

And the winds picked up again on Wednesday... and ***9*** separate fires broke out, all north of here, all within a few hours of each other. Some are getting fairly well contained, others are still out of control. Some 20-plus houses have been destroyed so far, nobody killed yet thank God.

But ***9*** fires? All within a 30-mile area???

Map of where the fires are: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/viewer?mid=zwCcp9fuZHOw.k0nyColtCA7s

You can't have a fire without an ignition source. Once it starts, sure, these high winds, coupled with extremely low humidity (5%) and high temperatures (90+F), spread them like, well, wildfire.

But after three fires broke out on Tuesday, one becoming real big real fast, it's impossible to imagine that ANYBODY wasn't being REAL careful about any sparks, open flames, cigarettes, etc. on Wednesday.

And yet nine fires broke out on Wednesday.

WTH??? We usually don't get nine brush fires a month around here. Some people are stupid, but nobody is THAT stupid.

I've heard nothing about how the fires started. Only thing on the radio around here, is some commissioner choosing her words carefully, and saying "There is no CONCLUSIVE evidence about any of these fires being deliberately started."

Hmmm.

If it turns out that all nine fires just happened to be sparks from a fireplace (who lights a fireplace in the middle of the day when it's 90 degrees outside?), a carelessly dropped cigarette, a car with a dragging muffler, etc.... all occurring on the same day in the same area, within a few hours of each other. All purely by coincidence.

That would have to be the coincidence of the century.

So far the firefighters efforts have been concentrated on putting the fires out, and they are doing everything humanly possible.

But eventually the fires will be out, and people will start asking Why.

Iheard that all but one fire was suspicious, and know 2 were arrested when caught red handed starting 2 different ones. They don't yet know if they may be responsible for others.

 

[depotoo]

2 arrested in Escondido on suspicion of trying to start fire*-*Los Angeles Times

 

[depotoo]

I also heard a landscaper say he saw someone in a golf cart stop near some brush, then shortly after he pulled away they were on on fire. Said he was too far to be able to describe him, though.

 

[bodecea]

I also heard a landscaper say he saw someone in a golf cart stop near some brush, then shortly after he pulled away they were on on fire. Said he was too far to be able to describe him, though.

Smoker....they'll check who was out there playing....

 

[HenryBHough]

I also heard a landscaper say he saw someone in a golf cart stop near some brush, then shortly after he pulled away they were on on fire. Said he was too far to be able to describe him, though.

If they saw a 747 zoom away a few minutes later we'll have a pretty good idea. But when He lands He'll blame Bush.

 

[Little-Acorn]

Arson Arrests - City of Escondido

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Lt. N. GriffinDATE: 05/15/2014 PHONE: (760) 839-4444

The Escondido Police Department is reporting the arrest of two persons who are believed to be responsible for starting at least two fires in the area of South Escondido.

At about 6:30 PM, a citizen reported seeing two persons who set a small brush fire in the area of South Escondido Blvd. The citizen was able to put out the small fire and contacted law enforcement. At about 7:25 PM, a citizen who was in the area of Westfield Mall, contacted Escondido Police and report he was chasing two persons who he had witnessed attempting to start a fire in the area of Kit Carson Park. The description of the suspects in both cases were similar.

Escondido Police Officers contact two persons matching the description not far from Westfield Mall. After questioning, both subjects were taken into custody for Arson related charges. One of the suspects arrested is a seventeen year old juvenile who resides in Escondido. The other suspect is identified as Isaiah Silva, 19 years old, of Escondido.

Investigation is continuing.

 

[Little-Acorn]

Fire Investigators Scour for Firestorm Clues

Fire Investigators Scour for Firestorm Clues

Posted Monday, May 19th 2014 @ 12pm

Retired San Diego Fire Captain Bob Lyon, a firefighter for 35 years, says he believes a majority of the blazes were deliberately set.

“I have never seen that number of fires break out in that short a period of time,” Lyon said.

At one point, more than eight wildfires were raging at the same time. The conflagrations, which occurred amid strong Santa Ana winds, triple-digit highs and extremely dry ground cover, began around 11 a.m. Tuesday when the Bernardo Fire erupted off Nighthawk Lane, southwest of Rancho Bernardo. It scorched 1,548 acres before being declared fully contained Sunday night.

According to San Diego Fire-Rescue, the Bernardo Fire was sparked by accident by a backhoe operator working at a housing construction project near Del Norte High School. No structures were lost but a few minor injuries reported, mostly heat-related, city officials said.

The next major fire to break out was the Tomahawk Fire near Naval Weapon Station Fallbrook around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday, followed about an hour later by the Poinsettia Fire just south of Carlsbad's McClellan-Palomar Airport.

“It's been my experience to have this number of fires in this close of time set is next to impossible for them to have been accidental,” Lyon said.

Lyon said investigators will work to rule out any natural or accidental causes. Then they will turn to arson.

“You're left with a deliberate act, and once you've determined it was a deliberate act -- while they're investigating the scene -- they're going to be looking for some type of ignition source,” Lyon said.

That could be a difficult task. An ignition source could be a device as simple as a cigarette or a flare.

Cell phone video like the one sent in by a viewer that shows what could be the ignition point of the Cocos Fire are the kinds of things Lyon says investigators will be looking at.

“Once they've got all that, the other thing they'll look for are previous people they've had encounters with for fire setters, somebody who has recently gotten out of prison, might have been an arsonist,” said Lyon.

Lyon says it will be difficult for investigators to obtain the proof they need because of where the wildfires may have originated, areas where there are typically few people around, making it possible for someone to drive out on a road, walk down a pathway, start a fire, leave the area and never be seen.

“A lot of the times these people start off, they'll start little fires here and there and they learn from their mistakes, and they get better and better at it,” Lyon said. “It's definitely a disturbed individual, along the lines of a person who might be a pedophile or any number of sick type mental mindsets,”

Lyon said finding an ignition point is an extremely difficult task with wildland fires, especially if there is no video or witnesses. He added that it is possible an arsonist could have started the fires with something that would not leave a trace.

 

[g5000]

There is one thing you can count on. Whoever did it, you can be sure they are a DEMOCRAT!!!!

 

[Freewill]

I have for some time thought that the Jihad angle had something to it, as I did this little reported story:

Assault on California Power Station Raises Alarm on Potential for Terrorism