the fatal Esperanza fire

[kimmy]

if you're in southern California, you've probably already heard this terrible news. for those of you who haven't, a wildfire was started by an arsonist yesterday in the very early morning near Palm Springs.
the fire has now claimed the lives of four firemen and 40,000 acres of land. the number of structures destroyed is unknown, but is expected to be quite large. there is one firefighter, Pablo Certa (23 years old) still in critical condition at a nearby hospital's burn ward battling severe burns over 90% of his body, his prognosis is said to be poor.

RIP Capt. Mark Loutzenhiser (44 years old)
RIP Engineer Jess McLean (27 years old)
RIP Assisstant Engine Operator Jason McCay (27 years old)
RIP Firefighter Daniel Hoover-Najera (20 years old)​

please, keep these firefighters and their families in your prayers. with the winds kicking up during the day, there's no telling how long this will last or how many more lives it will take

(facts from CNN.com, the New York Times and Fox News, see them for more information on the fire)

 

[*Stargazer*]

I am so incredibly angered by this. I hope that the person(s) that set this fire spends the rest of their life (lives) in jail and then spends eternity in hell.

 

[kimmy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ladybug10678 I am so incredibly angered by this. I hope that the person(s) that set this fire spends the rest of their life (lives) in jail and then spends eternity in hell.

i hope so too. they just showed the photos of the guys that died. the 44 year old captain from SB and he looked EXACTLY like my dad (who is also a 44 year old captain and he works for SB city...so naturally, my mom and i had a really nervous moment there especially since it isn't uncommon for the names to be inaccurate in the early stages of the fires) but i just talked to him and he's still in Texas, but there are two engines from his department on the fire right now... and i've known those guys on those engines since i was a tiny kid...so please keep them in your thoughts too.

on the bright side, with the politicians getting into this, it's almost for sure that they'll find the dirtbag(s) responsible...and i'm pretty sure they'll be charged with 2nd degree murder..which will provide the law the opportunity for some pretty harsh (and totally deserved) punishment.

 

[MxAxC-_ATTACK]

how awful..

Up here near Ventura,Ojai Santa Paula, we JUST got done with the day fire. which burned a ton of land for 4 weeks.. i dont think there was any fatalitys though.

I will keep them in my prayers.

I hope they catch the scumbags. and get more than a slap on the wrist and a fine

 

[kimmy]

they've finally gotten the PO Box for donations set up, anything anyone can spare, you can send it to:

Esperanza Firefighters Assistance Fund
PO Box 1645
Riverside, CA 92502-1645​

 

[Viva_la_MAC_Girl]

Its very sad, and like the rest of you I hope they catch this person(s) I use to work for CDF.. now I work for BLM in Arizona I use to be a firefigher when I was (alot younger) now a Topographer .. none the less it just hits home and it saddens me to no end... well anyone for that matter who puts there life on the line. If some of you don't know San Diego is now battleing some fires of there own.

 

[kimmy]

i saw that San Diego was having some fires as well. this is all too familiar, the Old fire about 2 years ago really took a toll on us as well. my dad was on that fire for the entire duration of it. it's all just so terrible, and i was really hoping that we wouldn't have another horrible fire like this for YEARS because this stuff usually only happens once every ten or so years...2 within 5 years is just too much

 

[Viva_la_MAC_Girl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE ANTHEM i saw that San Diego was having some fires as well. this is all too familiar, the Old fire about 2 years ago really took a toll on us as well. my dad was on that fire for the entire duration of it. it's all just so terrible, and i was really hoping that we wouldn't have another horrible fire like this for YEARS because this stuff usually only happens once every ten or so years...2 within 5 years is just too much

Where in Cali are you at? Are you talking about the fires that started in Ramona and burned all they way down the 8 freeway & the 15.. talk about freeway gridlock .. that fire was started by a camper that was lost and he shot off a flare gun.. and thus started the Ramona Fire that was hell schools closed down for about a week because of all of the ash and of course the smoke. That fire went all they way up by the base ( Miramar ) we got evacuated .. mess.. mess. mess. Santa Ana's are not helping all these fires at all.. worst enemy out there. Who does your father work for? Is he out for this one.. or many for that matter.

 

[kimmy]

i live in Riverside, so the Old fire was really close to my house. i woke up one morning and there was an inch and a half of ash on my car. my dad was on that fire, he was at work when it started and just stayed until it was out (because he's stubborn and just won't go home when he's told, and that fire was so massive they didn't have time or the want to turn any help away) he works for San Bernardino city, but luckily he's away on an ARF training seminar in Texas and he said they haven't told him he needs to come home early. hopefully, it will be out by Sunday, that's when he'll be home. he's been a fireman for ever and two days pretty much, and he's been with SBC for 18 years, so he gets sent on jsut about every fire that SB sends guys to..

 

[Viva_la_MAC_Girl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE ANTHEM i live in Riverside, so the Old fire was really close to my house. i woke up one morning and there was an inch and a half of ash on my car. my dad was on that fire, he was at work when it started and just stayed until it was out (because he's stubborn and just won't go home when he's told, and that fire was so massive they didn't have time or the want to turn any help away) he works for San Bernardino city, but luckily he's away on an ARF training seminar in Texas and he said they haven't told him he needs to come home early. hopefully, it will be out by Sunday, that's when he'll be home. he's been a fireman for ever and two days pretty much, and he's been with SBC for 18 years, so he gets sent on jsut about every fire that SB sends guys to..

Well keep us posted I will put them in my prayers. Cajon Pass... ALWAYS burns. Every year - Ber-Do was hit really hard the same time we had our Fiasco. Keep us posted.

 

[kimmy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viva_la_MAC_Girl Well keep us posted I will put them in my prayers. Cajon Pass... ALWAYS burns. Every year - Ber-Do was hit really hard the same time we had our Fiasco. Keep us posted.

yeah, i was just really hoping we'd get a break from these HUGE deadly fires. my sister and my dad went to move all of the stuff out of our house when the Old fire happened, and it was pretty much on our back porch, i can only imagine how those people felt being stuck in the evacuation traffic from Esperanza and seeing their entire house burn to the ground

 

[redambition]

saw this on the news over here... it's very sad.

my thoughts go out to thr family of the firefighters. and i also hope they catch the scumbag that lit the fire.

 

[Bre]

Heard on the news last night that a fifth fire fighter has died. It's all so very sad.

Hot dry summers bring the risk of fire, we are already copping it and it's not even summer yet. And then there are the weirdos that feel the need to start the fires themselves. I just can't understand it.

 

[Raerae]

He'll be charged with felony murder, and probably the death penalty.

 

[Cosmopolitics]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/02/soc....ap/index.html

I am so glad they caught that deplorable scum who set that awful fire. My heart goes out to all of the families of the brave firefighters who died from the fire.

 

[MxAxC-_ATTACK]

I just heard that on a little clip of news to come later tonight that they caught that pile of (feces)

Im glad! I hope he gets ALL that is coming to him. freaking dumb ass. ugh.. some people..

 

[*Stargazer*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MxAxC-_ATTACK Im glad! I hope he gets ALL that is coming to him. freaking dumb ass. ugh.. some people..

I'm sure I'm going to hell, but I keep thinking how I wish someone would set that guy on fire. (Provided, of course, he is actually guilty)

 

[kimmy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ladybug10678 I'm sure I'm going to hell, but I keep thinking how I wish someone would set that guy on fire. (Provided, of course, he is actually guilty)

then i'll be seeing you there

because...i think they should torch the guy too. but at least he's getting 5 counts of murder, 11 counts of arson and 10 counts of use on an incendiary (sp?) device...so he's screwed.

 

[MxAxC-_ATTACK]

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE ANTHEM then i'll be seeing you there because...i think they should torch the guy too. but at least he's getting 5 counts of murder, 11 counts of arson and 10 counts of use on an incendiary (sp?) device...so he's screwed.

GOOD!!!!!!

he diserves every bit of that.. and more.

 

[depecher]

He deserves everything he will get. The whole thing is sooo incredibly sad. They say the Santa Anas are coming back this weekend. I always dread Fall because it means wind and fire.