Esperanza Fire: Difference between revisions
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==Investigation== |
==Investigation== |
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A $550,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the arsonist(s), who Fire Chief John Hawkins called a murderer. If convicted the arsonist(s) will face murder charges as well as a long list of other charges. Several government as well as private agencies have donated to this reward. The [[State of California]], [[Riverside County, California|Riverside County]], [[San Bernardino County|San Bernadino County]], Morongo Band of [[Mission Indians]], Soboba Band of [[Lueseno Indians]], and Tim Blixseth, a [[Coachella Valley]] logging industry magnate, have each donated $100,000 respectively. The [[Riverside County, California|Riverside County]] Sheriff Department |
A $550,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the arsonist(s), who Fire Chief John Hawkins called a murderer. If convicted the arsonist(s) will face murder charges as well as a long list of other charges. Several government as well as private agencies have donated to this reward. The [[State of California]], [[Riverside County, California|Riverside County]], [[San Bernardino County|San Bernadino County]], Morongo Band of [[Mission Indians]], Soboba Band of [[Lueseno Indians]], and Tim Blixseth, a [[Coachella Valley]] logging industry magnate, have each donated $100,000 respectively. On Monday [[October 3]], [[2006]] two people were brought in for questioning and then released. The [[Riverside County, California|Riverside County]] Sheriff Department arrested [[Raymond Lee Oyler]] on Tuesday [[October 4]], [[2006]] who is alleged to have set two wildfires in the summer of 2006 and to be "''a person of interest'' regarding the Esperanza Fire."<ref>http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_4583550</ref> |
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Oyler is being held at the [[Robert Presley Detention Center]] in Riverside with a $25,000 bail. Oyler's court hearing is expected to be held on Thursday [[November 2]], [[2006]], in the Riverside Superior Court house.<ref>http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/11/01/wildfire.arrest/</ref> |
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Revision as of 03:03, 2 November 2006
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
The Esperanza Fire is a wind driven arson fire that started in a river wash near Cabazon, California. As of Sunday, October 29, 2006, it had burned over 61 square miles and was 85% contained. As of Monday, October 30, 2006, at 6:00PM, the fire was declared fully contained.
Overview
It started at 1:12 am PDT on October 26, 2006 and has burned an estimated 40,200 acres. It has killed five firefighters. It has also destroyed 34 houses and 20 outbuildings. The damage the fire has caused is estimated at more than $9 million. It is the worst wildfire firefighting disaster since 1994.
The firefighters who died were overwhelmed by the fire while trying to defend a house in Cabazon. Captain Mark Loutzenhiser, 44, Firefighter Jess McLean, 27, Firefighter Jason McKay, 27, and Firefighter Daniel Hoover-Najera, 23, were killed defending a house and attempted to retreat to their fire engine, where they were trapped. Four of the five made it to the engine, another did not and was killed outside of the engine. Two died inside the engine and the surviving two were transferred to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center where one died later in the day and the other, Pablo Cerda, 23, died at 5:08 pm on October 31, 2006 in Arrowhead Regional Medical Center from injuries he had sustained while fighting the fire.
The fire spread extremely rapidly due to strong Santa Ana winds, charring 24,000 acres in 18 hours. In comparison the Ventura County Day Fire Burned 24,000 acres in two weeks. There were reports that smoke from the fire could be smelled as far away as San Diego.
Investigation
A $550,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the arsonist(s), who Fire Chief John Hawkins called a murderer. If convicted the arsonist(s) will face murder charges as well as a long list of other charges. Several government as well as private agencies have donated to this reward. The State of California, Riverside County, San Bernadino County, Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Soboba Band of Lueseno Indians, and Tim Blixseth, a Coachella Valley logging industry magnate, have each donated $100,000 respectively. On Monday October 3, 2006 two people were brought in for questioning and then released. The Riverside County Sheriff Department arrested Raymond Lee Oyler on Tuesday October 4, 2006 who is alleged to have set two wildfires in the summer of 2006 and to be "a person of interest regarding the Esperanza Fire."[1]
Oyler is being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside with a $25,000 bail. Oyler's court hearing is expected to be held on Thursday November 2, 2006, in the Riverside Superior Court house.[2]
On October 27, 2006, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Riverside County and ordered flags at the California Capitol building and all California Department of Forestry stations to be flown at half-staff.
Firefighters from as far away as Alameda County are working to get the blaze under control.
Effects
- Riverside County is establishing a fund to help the families of the firefighters who were killed fighting the fire.
- Several high school football games (including Paloma Valley and Hemet High) scheduled Friday in the Riverside County area near the Esperanza fire have been postponed because of poor air quality.
- Sunbelt League games have been rescheduled for Monday, while Southwestern League games might be made up either Saturday or Monday.
- An October 27 concert at the Soboba Casino by country music star Alan Jackson was indefinitely postponed since the venue was such a short distance from the fire line and authorities did not wish to allow more people in the area than necessary. Patrons were issued a full refund since Jackson's schedule did not allow the show to be immediately rescheduled.
- A public memorial is scheduled to be held on Sunday November 5, 2006 at the Hyundai Pavilion in Devore, CA for the five fallen firefighters.[3]
See also
External links
- http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,225863,00.html
- http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=161
- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15428042/
- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15450676/site/newsweek/
- http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/10/31/national/a194630S24.DTL
References
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