West Coast 911

Redlands Firefighters March on City Hall

Chile — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:36:13 +0000

By Jesse B. Gill Staff Writer REDLANDS - Thursday marked the last day of Jim Drabinski as the acting fire chief. His retirement became effective Friday. Fire Department personnel gathered at Fifth Street at about 9 a.m. Thursday and marched west on Citrus Avenue to City Hall, led by bagpipes and Scottish drums. Once they reached City Hall, [...]

Gap Fire battle is complicated by terrain, brush, wind

Chile — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:17:55 +0000

Thick columns of smoke rose off the sides of the Santa Ynez Mountains north of Santa Barbara on Thursday as more than 1,000 firefighters entered their second day of battle against the Gap fire. “This fire could easily spread,” said Bill White as he stood on a ridge high above Goleta and looked east and north [...]

Wanted felon accused of starting huge apartment fire

Chile — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 05:41:29 +0000

Police say a man they were attempting to arrest at an apartment complex in Selma started a fire that destroyed the complex and left nearly 80 people without homes. Police say Henry Nieto threw an illegal drug he was smoking on a pile of mattresses after spotting Sheriff’s Deputies. The apartment complex at Golden State and [...]

Fresno Firefighters Work Explosive House Fire

Chile — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 05:33:27 +0000

Neighbors said they heard a bang or a series of bangs; then saw the smoke and flames. The inside of the main house is heavily damaged and a rear addition is completely gone. The couple’s collection of exotic birds all perished in the flames, despite a neighbor’s effort to save them. The neighborhood was shaken [...]

Six People Escape House Fire In San Bernardino

Chile — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:22:14 +0000

At 0735 hours on July 3rd, the San Bernardino City Fire Department responded to a house fire at 1705 E. Hardt St. in the extreme south east section of the City. Within 6 minutes from the dispatch time, the first arriving units found a single family dwelling that was well involved with fire, along with [...]

Fire Burns 3 Beachfront Homes in Malibu

Chile — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:34:39 +0000

A fire has destroyed a beachfront house in Malibu, damaged two others and shut down traffic in both directions on Pacific Coast Highwayfor hours. Los Angeles fire Inspector Darryl Jacobs says no one was hurt in the fire, which broke out in a three-story home about 3 a.m. Thursday. Flames quickly spread to the two houses [...]

Man Detained After Fire Ruins 17 Apartments in Stockton

Chile — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:21:38 +0000

A man was held for questioning after a four-alarm blaze destroyed at least 17 apartments in Stockton early Thursday.The fire marked the second huge blaze to strike the city in the past month.Firefighters were called at 3:30 a.m. to the Vintage Square Apartments in the 1100 block of Rosemarie Lane. Crews arrived to find flames shooting [...]

Fire near Goleta threatens homes

Chile — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:08:18 +0000

More than 350 firefighters, including some from Ventura County, battled a 350-acre wildfire in Los Padres National Forest on Wednesday that threatened homes near the San Marcos Pass and forced evacuations of residents. By Wednesday evening, the flames were creeping closer to 30 homes nestled between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the coast, Nicole Koon, a [...]

Big Sur Evacuated; Blaze jumps fire lines

Chile — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:47:29 +0000

In the midst of the summer travel season, restaurants and lodges in the Big Sur village should be packed with visitors. Today, that’s not the case. Hundreds of residents fled their homes Wednesday and California Highway Patrol officers are posted on Highway 1 turning away travelers. The few people who remain in town are firefighters [...]

Butte County fire crews also battle fatigue

Chile — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:40:44 +0000

CHICO – Jay Graaskamp hoisted himself atop his firetruck and slid into his sleeping bag with the same dusty clothes he’d put on nearly a day earlier, his weary body resting against cold, hard metal. When darkness fell on the mountains Tuesday, there would be time for sleep, at last. For weeks now, Graaskamp and his Cal [...]