California
Two arrested in connection to separate California wildfires
Two arrested in connection to California wildfires
CalFire is battling 20 fires have been across California, with the high temperatures more may be on the way. Two people were arrested on suspicion of sparking fires while attempting to clear away brush, one with a lawnmower, and one with a weed whacker. KTVU’s Tom Vacar reports from Sunol.
Alameda County, California – This is looking to be one of our most fiery years because the fuel is as dry as dry can be. Example: at 11:15 Monday morning, a wildfire, called the Tesla fire, still under investigation, broke out in that high hills above De Valle Regional Park. Though it quickly grew to ten acres, got a full wildfire response from the air and land, stopping its progress.
It became the nineteenth active fire on Cal Fire’s list. “If you start wildfire, there can be repercussions for that,” said
Jason Clay, a Cal Fire Public Information Officer.
Last week, says Cal Fire’s Public Information Officer Jason Clay, its law enforcement division arrested two people, rich for starting wildfires while clearing grasses and brush. One man, using a weed whacker, started the 16-acre Adams Fire, in Lower Lake County on July 3rd. He has been charged with three misdemeanors.
Another man started the 11-acre Pocket Fire while using a riding mower, July 6th, north of Geyserville. That man is facing three misdemeanors and one felony. :When you’re doing that defensible space work during, a Red Flag Warning, in the heat of the day you know, that becomes a case in point where that could be just irresponsible,” said Cal Fire’s Clay.
Most folks think so long as you do mowing, weeding and creating defensible space before 10 AM, they are doing it wildfire safe. Not true.
Besides the time of day there are two other critical weather conditions to know and observe. “A safe area where you can kind of look at to guage can I do this or can I not do this would be if temperatures is if it’s below 80 degrees and the relative humidity is above 30 percent,” said Clay.
In the case of the Lower Lake Adams fire, the weed whack was done at 3 pm in 105 degrees weather in 10% humidity. In the case of the Geyserville Pocket Fire, it was after 11 AM in 99 degree weather with just 22 percent humidity. “They were not done with the parameters we gave to do it safely,” said the Cal Fire Public Information Officer. As of 10 AM Monday, Cal Fire reported that there were 18 active wildfires burning in California. More are sure to come.