The latest about the California wildfires

[Cryomaniac]

:uarrow: Well, it's a form of terrorism, but not the kind of terrorism you are talking about. When terrorist attack, they usually do it at a major scale, not brush fires.

I don't see why they wouldn't do that, it's more subtle, and easier to get away with, and causes just as much chaos. I'm not saying that's what it is, just that it's possible.

[HarlequinBoy]

I don't think starting wildfires is a terrorist's MO.

[Cryomaniac]

I don't think starting wildfires is a terrorist's MO.

Niether do I necesarily, but it's an interesting possibility.

[Pburgh]

Terrorists don't want to be subtle.

[lurkey]

I don't mean to be alarmist, but with all this talk of arson, has anyone thought it could be terrorists?

My thoughts go out to anyone affected by this. I would hate for my house to burn down.

I don't think this is terrorism. Arsonists aren't motivated by terror. Most of them are pyromaniacs or people who burn things for the insurance money. What may have happen is that some of the fires were started by nature (downed powerlines throwing sparks or lightning), some were accidently set and then you have the pyromanics attracted by the original fires. And I'm sure someone may take advantage of the fires to collect insurance policies.

Terrorists are into things that are big, flashy, takes the maximum amount of lives and makes a statement.

[url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/24/national/main3401265.shtml]
CBS News has learned U.S. officials will officially declare California's Santiago Fire an arson and offer a $50,000 reward to find the arsonist... [/url]

Other blazes were believed to have been started by downed power lines and a car fire.

So far, only the Santiago Canyon can be contributed to arson.

[angelwing]

BREAKING NEWS: State Authorities, FBI Search Home In Arson
Investigation

State Authorities, FBI Search Home In Arson Investigation
California authorities and FBI agents search a home Wednesday as part of an
arson investigation into one of the wildfires devastating Southern
California,
a law enforcement official said.

[angelwing]

I just got this: (mods if this is too political please delete)

FBI: al-Qaeda detainee spoke of fire plot
PHOENIX (AP) — The FBI alerted law enforcement agencies last month that an al-Qaeda terrorist now in detention had talked of masterminding a plot to set a series of devastating forest fires around the western United States.
Rose Davis, a spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, told The Associated Press that officials there took note of the warning but didn't see a need to act further on it.


http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington ... fire_x.htm

[Derek Ortt]

Would make perfect sense for this type of operation to be conducted

In fact, it would just be taking a page out of Japan's WW2 playbook. They tried this many times with ballon bombs and a single successful air raid. The aim was to start large scale forest fires

[Derek Ortt]

that is from July 11, 2003

However, in the 4.5 years since this, they may have had the chance to refine their tactics

Still, this is likely just some punk kid who needs to be made an example of

[lurkey]

Next thing you know the eco-terrorists will be take credit. . . .

[Cryomaniac]

Thanks for posting that link, it proves I'm not the only alarmist fool in the world.

[lurkey]

http://tinyurl.com/2ut29y

Sunrise over Naval Base San Diego

[Ptarmigan]

http://www.knbc.com/news/14392969/detail.html

ARSON.

Try and execute those responsible for treason is all I can say. Why would one want to deliberately burn their own country and kill their fellow citizens?

Let see.
Arson=Felony Check
Murder=Felony Check
Murder In Commission of a Felony=Capital Murder Check

The arsonists should be executed for this. Arson is may look hard to solve, but in truth, it's not that hard to solve.

[Ptarmigan]

Would make perfect sense for this type of operation to be conducted

In fact, it would just be taking a page out of Japan's WW2 playbook. They tried this many times with ballon bombs and a single successful air raid. The aim was to start large scale forest fires

I remember reading and hearing that Japan used balloons to deploy firebombs onto America. In fact some made it to America and started forest fires.

[Aslkahuna]

The Japanese launched hundreds of those balloons and many made it across. But wartime secrecy laws prevented any announcements because we didn't want the Japanese to know that they had succeeded in getting the balloons across and that there had been fires and fatalities. Those bombs are still in the forests of WA/OR and people have been injured since the war by them.

Steve

[Chacor]

As of 1 hour 7 minutes ago this was the fire situation:

[azskyman]

Furluvcats' husband Brian was called back to the Pala Casino last evening at about 8 pm to deal with another evacuation. The Mt. Palomar fire was encroaching from the east. Have not heard yet this morning if they did have to re-evacuate those staying there.

With only 10-20% containment and low humidities remaining, hot spots can pop up in plenty of places. Focus this morning seems to be back on the Harris Fire (the one closest my son's home), but he told me just a short time ago that active fire seems to be moving away from the heavily populated areas in his neighborhood.

Anything can happen as there are 4 ridgelines of 4,000' elevation or higher just along the I-8 west of San Diego, and gusty winds are the norm in those locations even when conditions subside elsewhere.

Fingers crossed.

[azskyman]

And from this morning's Arizona Republic...

Arizona man killed by police in Calif., may be arson suspect
Cyrus Karimi
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 24, 2007 04:46 PM

An Arizona man who authorities believe could be connected to arson in fire-ravaged Southern California was shot and killed after trying to run police over Tuesday night.

Police officers from California State University, San Bernardino saw the man in the brush land behind the school a little before 6 p.m., said Scott Patterson, a spokesman for the San Bernardino Police Department.

"The officers were worried he might be an arson suspect," Patterson said.

When officers approached the man, he fled into the foothills in a white pickup truck, Patterson said.

The man then used his pickup to ram a San Bernardino police car after they chased him into the foothills, Patterson said. The officers then shot the man and killed him.

The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department is investigating the incident, including investigating the truck's contents to determine whether the man is a suspect for arson in the area.

[x-y-no]

I just got this: (mods if this is too political please delete)

FBI: al-Qaeda detainee spoke of fire plot
PHOENIX (AP) — The FBI alerted law enforcement agencies last month that an al-Qaeda terrorist now in detention had talked of masterminding a plot to set a series of devastating forest fires around the western United States.
Rose Davis, a spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, told The Associated Press that officials there took note of the warning but didn't see a need to act further on it.


http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington ... fire_x.htm

July of 2003.

Doubt it's connected, especially since one would expect some kind of cliam of responsibility or it wouldn't be particularly effective as terrorism.

[wxmann_91]

Oops, sorry, I did not see this thread. Thanks to Cyclenall, CrazyC83, et al for keeping everyone here updated, and thanks for all the thoughts and prayers to Southern California, and to me and my family. It's been a wild few days, I'll say that. The good news is that the outpouring of aid here has been amazing - everybody has been pitching in to help. The volunteers at Qualcomm treated us very well - they offered us food, blankets, etc. every few minutes for us.

Everything seems to be back normal where I am. No houses in my neighborhood have been harmed, but Rancho Bernardo, just to my northeast, seems to have been hit the worst. Air quality is still bad though. Just went to LA today; Camp Pendleton was burned bad, and LA was smoggy, but otherwise, life seems to be slowly trying to return to normal.