Watchfulness in fire season

Re “Montecito spark was bonfire,” Nov. 19

As a resident of Santa Barbara County, and as a professor of English who teaches at one local college and two local universities, I want to say that any students who are so stupid as to light a bonfire in a fire area in fire season do not deserve to take up spaces in any institution of higher learning.

Cynthia Davis

Summerland

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Re “California’s fire danger,” Letters, Nov. 18

A reader reported that he had suggested to local officials that “Neighborhood Watch, an anti-crime citizens’ organization, be expanded to include Fire Watch.”

Residents in fire-prone areas might like to know that such an organization has been operating in the Santa Monica and Santa Susana mountains for the last 25 years: It is called Arson Watch, a volunteer group under the supervision of the Malibu-Lost Hills sheriff’s station. Members patrol the mountains on high fire-danger days looking for fires or fire hazards.

If other communities are interested in forming a group, Arson Watch can be reached at (310) 455-4244.

Abigail Bok

Topanga