Massive California fire sparked by arson
September 4th, 2009 - 10:59 am ICT by IANSLos Angeles, Sep 4 (DPA) The massive fire that has burned more than 58,000 hectares around Los Angeles was sparked by arson, California authorities said.
Two firefighters were killed while battling the blaze, and police have now launched homicide investigations, officials said Thursday.
“Arson investigators have concluded that the Station Fire was the result of an arson,” Forest Service Commander Rita Wears told reporters at a press conference.
The fire is the largest in the history of Los Angeles County and has destroyed 62 homes.
The arson finding came as thousands of firefighters in California continued to make gains on the conflagration. The fire is now 38 percent contained with full containment expected by Sep 15.
Though the fire still is classified as a threat to some 12,000 homes, it was moving in the direction of remote wilderness areas Thursday, and many homeowners returned to find their houses undamaged but for a layer of soot.
“We were very fortunate,” said Lillian Guarino, 89, who lives with her daughter in La Canada Flintridge, one of the most threatened of the foothill communities. “This is the second fire we have had to go through and hopefully the last.”
Fire officials said they had won the battle to save the historic Mount Wilson Observatory, a century-old technology compound that now houses many of the television and cellphone towers that serve the Los Angeles region.
“We’re pretty confident,” Los Angeles County fire inspector Edward Osorio told the Los Angeles Times. “Mount Wilson is going to be OK.”
- Schwarzenegger declares fire emergency in Los Angeles - Aug 29, 2009
- California wildfire doubles in size, threatens 12,000 homes - Sep 01, 2009
- WildFire Engulfs Parts Of Palmdale, Hundreds Evacuated - Jul 30, 2010
- Wildfire rages near Los Angeles - Jul 31, 2010
- Inferno In Newark Razes 2 Houses And Dents 5 Edifices - Aug 12, 2010
- Guiberson Fire Threatening Residents Of The Region - Sep 23, 2009
- Firefighters Battle With La Canada Fire near L.A. - Aug 27, 2009
- Station Fire Still A Major Threat - Aug 31, 2009
- California wildfire rages, only 5 percent contained - Sep 02, 2009
- Swift Altadena Fire Rages Insatiabaly - Aug 29, 2009
- Fire Breaks Out In Anaheim Hills, Fueled By Bad Weather - Nov 25, 2009
- Texas battles new wildfires as extreme drought continues - Sep 02, 2011
- Thousands flee raging California fires - May 08, 2009
- Firefighters work to contain California blazes - Aug 18, 2009
- Man kills three in shooting rampage in US - Dec 17, 2011
Tags: arson investigators, california authorities, california fire, conflagration, county fire, fire inspector, fire officials, foothill communities, guarino, history of los angeles, homicide investigations, la canada flintridge, los angeles times, massive fire, mount wilson observatory, old technology, osorio, soot, station fire, wilderness areas
