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Photograph by Jeff Kearns
Two CDF hand crews responded to the fire above Lexington Reservoir.
Arsonist may have set a series of fires in local hills
By Jeff Kearns
A fire that broke out above Lexington Reservoir last week was intentionally set, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection officials, and may be connected to a series of small fires that were also intentionally set in the hills above Saratoga and Cupertino.
CDF and other agencies are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the arsonist who they believe set nine fires in the Stevens Canyon area of Stevens Creek County Park in May and June.
Last week's fire broke out June 15 at about 11 a.m., approximately 100 feet from a hiking trail and fire access road just east of the dam. CDF crews had the fire out by about noon. CDF Captain Mike Wemp said the fire charred about a quarter-acre of the hillside inside the Lexington Reservoir County Park.
According to Wemp, the fire could have been a much bigger threat to the hills, but because the fire was in an area easily visible from Highway 17 and just across the reservoir from CDF's helicopter base, it was quickly contained before it could spread.
"If you want to say what saved our bacon, it's that the station was right there," Wemp said. Fire trucks were also able to drive right to the fire, and the helicopter was able to scoop water from the nearby reservoir.
A total of six CDF engines, one helicopter, two fixed-wing fire tankers, two CDF hand crews, two bulldozers and a Santa Clara County fire crew responded to the fire. However, the fixed-wing aircraft, based in Morgan Hill, didn't drop fire-retardant chemicals on the blaze because it was directly underneath the transmission lines, and close to one of the transmission towers, which Wemp says could have been shorted out by the chemicals. No injuries were reported.
Although the fire was under a PG&E line, CDF officials concluded that the power lines weren't the cause of the fire. PG&E crews and CDF officials inspected the lines after the fire and found no damage to the transmission lines, which hang about 100 feet above the site of the fire.
CDF fire inspectors also didn't find any physical evidence at the site that would indicate that the fire was intentionally set, but concluded that must have been the case because it wasn't caused by the PG&E lines or lightning strikes.
CDF officials are guessing the same person may be responsible for all of the fires, but are keeping their lips sealed on some of the information they've gathered so far because the investigation is ongoing.
Captain Curt Itson, a fire prevention specialist and spokesman for the CDF Santa Clara Ranger Unit, says the potential for a large and damaging fire in the area is very high, especially now that the hills are dry and the weather is hot.
Itson says CDF doesn't have any suspects so far and hasn't found any incendiary devices, but is working with Santa Clara County sheriffs, fire and parks departments, as well as Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.
According to Itson, there's no evidence that would connect the fires, but the series in Stevens Canyon and last week's fire above Los Gatos were both intentionally set in county parks along hiking and mountain biking trails that aren't accessible to motorists. People who accidentally set fires usually are the first to report them, he said.
Since fire season began earlier this month, Itson says homeowners should make sure they've cleared flammable vegetation at least 30 feet around their houses and from 100 to 200 feet on hillsides. "That buys us a chance to save people's homes," he said.
Anyone with information about what they think may be an arson fire can call the anonymous We Tip arson hotline at 800-47-ARSON, says Itson, and anyone who sees a fire should immediately call 911 and give as many details as possible about the suspect and vehicle.
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Saratoga, California Since 1975
