VENTURA : Arson Suspected in Vegetation Fire
A tough-to-reach vegetation fire burned about 20 acres in the Santa Clara riverbed late Saturday, creating an orange glow in the sky between Ventura and Oxnard.
The fire--which started in several spots and then burned together--was reported to the Oxnard Fire Department at 7:30 p.m. and was about 90% contained shortly after 9 p.m., authorities said.
Ventura city firefighters carried hoses through several hundred yards of thick bamboo to reach the front line of flames. Water was pumped from three tankers. Eight engines, one helicopter and one bulldozer also were assigned to the fire.
The nearest structure to the flames was radio station KBBY-FM on Olivas Park Drive, which firefighters used as a base for equipment.
Officials believe the fire was arson.
“We think it’s probably mischievous,” said Ventura Battalion Chief Brian Gordon. “We had three separate spots that were quite a ways away from each other.”
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