California fire caused by botched safety measure

Los Angeles - A fire that destroyed 77 homes and threatened thousands more in Santa Barbara, California was probably caused when workmen clearing brush to create a fire safe zone inadvertently set it ablaze, officials said Monday. The Jesusita fire in the foothills above Santa Barbara, California, USA, 08 May 2009. The fire has destroyed more than 2,800 acres and displaced 30,000 people. EPA/MICHAL CZERWONKA

The Jesusita fire in the foothills above Santa Barbara, California, USA, 08 May 2009. The fire has destroyed more than 2,800 acres and displaced 30,000 people. EPA/MICHAL CZERWONKASparks from a power tool being used to clear brush apparently ignited the so-called Jesusita Trail blaze last Tuesday. Authorities on Monday sought public help to identify those clearing brush on private land near the Jesusita Trail around the time that the fire erupted. They stressed that the need for residents in fire-prone areas to clear defensible spaces around their homes, but urged them to take extreme caution. 'Any time you use any power tool, there's always a possibility, especially if the conditions are right,' said Joe Waterman, the overall fire commander from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Tom Franklin added, 'Many more homes would have burned had they not done their defensible space work.' The blaze occurred in an area of multimillion dollar homes perched on the mountains and canyons overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the city of Santa Barbara. Fanned by strong winds it scorched over 3,500 hectares and forced more than 30,000 residents to evacuate. The fire came unusually early in a season that is predicted to present a heightened risk of wildfire due to high temperatures, low winter rains and demographic shifts that have sent more people to live in closer proximity to wildland areas.

And Also

Look Back at the Worst Celebrity Breakups

Look Back at the Worst Celebrity Breakups - PopEater
Office 2010 confirmed for June 2010 - The Tech Herald
Peter Berg Says No Hancock 2, For Now - Cinema Blend
Lisa Loeb Welcomes Baby Girl, Lyla Rose - PopEater
A&E series 'Hoarders' and 'Intervention' premiere Monday, Nov. 30th, preview

Your Talkback on this Story

Latest Headlines in US

Older Talkback

page: 1

SP4: seriouslyMay 11th, 2009 - 19:05:54

..California clears bruch DURING the fire season?????? Wow...look at all the brush they've cleared now!

I think even monkey boy #12 could do the math on that one!

Report this comment

BillMay 11th, 2009 - 20:27:19

People need to wake up and see the real problem with these fires. Lets look at the facts: We are going through a cycle of climate change due to carbon buildup in the atmosphere. Of this carbon, less than 3% is from people, the rest is from things like volcanos and forest fires. Jesus sent these fires and will continue to do so as long as Californians continue to sodomize each other. Californian sodomy now has a direct relationship with global warming. They can drive their little priuses all they want, but what is comes down to is they need to make Jesus happy by stopping the act of giving it to each other in the pooper.

Report this comment

SP4:Hey Monkey Boy #12May 11th, 2009 - 21:00:25

..your real name isn't Bill...is it?

Report this comment

BillMay 11th, 2009 - 21:14:16

Your real name isn't SP4, is it?

Report this comment

TruebritMay 12th, 2009 - 01:23:01

It's always illuminating to read advanced theological contributions. For the divine retribution to be suitably poetic, I suppose 'chuffing' Billy would subscribe to the theory that a couple of Californicators a-humping in the brush inadvertently set the stuff smouldering through friction. Roll on the 'ring of fire' gags!

Report this comment

M.P.May 12th, 2009 - 14:24:32

Thought I'd picked up the newspaper comedy section....then realized I was on M&C.

Report this comment

SP4 says:May 12th, 2009 - 18:08:09

'California clears bruch'
Too bad SP4 doesn't see a Nexus(causal link) between his stupidity and his drug abuse. Everyone else does. As for Truebrit's 'ring of fire gags!', there he is, SP4, that flaming a-hole.

Report this comment

SP4 is so drugged outMay 12th, 2009 - 18:38:43

that he doesn't know which monkey boy is which. I guess he is so confused that anyone who isn't him, is monkey boy #12

Report this comment

SP4: yeah sureMay 12th, 2009 - 20:11:19

...Bill...now run along, the Hurdy Gurdy is calling...

Report this comment

yup, sure...May 12th, 2009 - 23:17:18

SP is now into the crack pipe. He just loves sucking on things. He 'thinks' that he is talking to Bill. He isn't. He's talking nonsense. Again.

Report this comment

page: 1