A few weeks ago at the height of the Wragg Fire — remember when we considered that a biggie? — I asked chief Willie Sapeta of the Lake County Fire Protection District if such an event could happen here.
“The fuels are scary this year,” he told me. “From here [Clearlake] to Lakeport, look at the dead oaks, look at the dead pines. Each one is a candle waiting to go off.”
Sapeta has every right to pull a good old fashioned ‘I warned you,’ but I suspect he is too busy at the moment. And I somehow doubt he’s the sort to rub it in. Sapeta simply knows his stuff.
Our conversation took place on July 24, when the Wragg Fire had consumed 7,000 acres. Two days later, an early evening blaze along Dam Road in Clearlake forced several hundred people to temporarily abandon their apartment complex. Local crews quickly knocked down the fire.
Then came Rocky. And Jerusalem, along with dozens of other outbursts across the state. Some of these were caused by lightening strikes. Others flared up thanks because people were careless — or just plain thick-headed. A woman in another county was arrested for allegedly starting several fires. Law enforcement arrested two in this area, the first for attempted arson on a structure around the time of (but unrelated to) Rocky sparked to life.
The second arrest occurred yesterday. Some genius reportedly attempted to set his own backfire to protect hearth and home from the rapidly approaching Jerusalem. Or at least that’s what he told authorities. Firefighters noticed, however, that the backfire was designed to deflect Jerusalem away from the man’s marijuana grow.
Just a day into the Rocky Fire, scanner reports identified a narrow plume of white smoke across the lake from the rapidly expanding inferno. Turns out someone decided, on a 100-degree day in the shadow of pyrocumulous clouds, to ignite some garbage.
This is the other side of human nature. While thousands urged on firefighters through humble, handmade signs or words of encouragement, while hundreds voluntarily rushed food and other items to the makeshift shelter at the Moose Lodge, while most heeded calls to evacuate danger areas, there were — and are — those few.
According to Cal Fire data, 95 percent of blazes they battle started because of the careless flick of a cigarette, an accidental spark or some other human act.
Yeah, I know a telling percentage of Americans prefer to avoid newspapers, television news or other sources of information. Still, most residents of this state must be aware, if only through random mentions on their Facebook newsfeeds, that California remains locked in a drought of … well, maybe not Biblical proportions, but still a rather noticeable one.
With brush and trees essentially turned into Duraflame logs by four years of parched conditions, a few thoughtless types still insist on playing with fire.
Of course, at this point we can only speculate as to the cause of Rocky and Jerusalem — and given the conspiratorial hunches so prevalent in these parts, speculation will likely continue long after officials complete their investigations and release the findings.
Human nature, again.
Simply put, accidents will happen and lightening will strike. When a fire chief warns that Lake County forests and grasslands have been turned into high octane fuel and the fuel load is now “scary,” it’s best to pay attention.
Better yet, it’s best to follow the advice Sapeta offered during our conversation a few weeks ago: Be aware of things that may cause sparks, use an ashtray, put the fireworks away and wait until El Nino for any other activity involving open flame.
Most importantly he said, if you see smoke of any kind, “call it in.”
