Esperanza Fire

Infobox wildfire
title= Esperanza Fire

---

location= Near Cabazon, California
date= October 26, 2006
time= 1:12 AM
timezone= PDT
acres= 40,200 acres (163 km²)
source= Arson
landuse= Mixed use
fatalities= Five firefighters
injuries=
perps= Raymond Lee Oyler
motive= Arson

The Esperanza Fire was a wind-driven arson-caused wildfire that started in a river wash near Cabazon, California. Five firefighters were killed defending a vacant, partially-built home that was destroyed by the fire. As of Sunday, October 29, 2006, it had burned over 61 square miles (160 km²) and was 85% contained. As of Monday, October 30, 2006, at 6:00 PM PST, the fire was declared fully contained.

Overview

It started at 1:12 AM PDT on October 26, 2006 and burned an estimated 40,200 acres (163 km²) before containment. It resulted in the deaths of five firefighters, and also destroyed 34 houses and 20 outbuildings, as well as damaging State Route 243 severely enough that motorists require an escort until the damage can be repaired. [http://www.towncrier.com/firefolder/breakingnews.html esperanzafire.html ] ] The damage the fire caused is estimated at more than $9 million, and it is the worst wildfire/firefighting disaster since 1994.

The fire spread extremely rapidly due to moderate Santa Ana winds and highly flammable brush due to the fire's proximity to the Chapparal biome, charring 24,000 acres (97 km²) in 18 hours. In comparison, the Ventura County Day Fire burned 24,000 acres (97 km²) in two weeks. There were reports that smoke from the fire could be smelled as far away as San Diego.

The firefighters who died were overwhelmed by the fire when the winds shifted and blew the fire right towards them. They were trying to defend a house above Cabazon, which was ultimately lost. Captain Mark Loutzenhiser, 43, Firefighter Jess McLean, 27, Firefighter Jason McKay, 27, and Firefighter Daniel Najera, 20, were killed defending a partially-built, insured and vacant house. Fire Engine Operator Jess "Gus" Mclean and Asst. Fire Engine Operator Jason McKay died next to their fire engine without having time to enter it. Firefighter Danny Najera was found to the west of the structures they were trying to protect. The surviving two firefighters were transferred to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center where Captain Mark Loutzenhiser succummed to his injuries shortly after arriving. The other firefighter, Pablo Cerda, 23, died at 5:08 PM PST on October 31, 2006 in Arrowhead Regional Medical Center from injuries he had sustained while fighting the fire.

On October 26th, 2006 FEMA announced it would pay 75% of the costs associated with fighting the fire. On October 27, 2006, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Riverside County and ordered flags at the California Capitol building and all California Department of Forestry stations to be flown at half-staff.

Firefighters from as far away as Alameda County worked hard to get the blaze under control.

Investigation

A nearly $600,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the arsonist(s), who Fire Chief John Hawkins called a murderer. Several government as well as private agencies have donated to this reward. The State of California, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Soboba Band of Lueseno Indians, and Tim Blixseth, a Coachella Valley logging industry magnate, have each donated $100,000 respectively. On Monday October 30, 2006 two people were brought in for questioning and then released.

The Riverside County Sheriff Department's Central Homicide Unit arrested Raymond Lee Oyler, a mechanic from Beaumont, on Tuesday October 31, 2006. Oyler initially was charged with setting two wildfires in the summer of 2006. On November 2, 2006, he also was charged with five counts of first-degree murder for allegedly setting the Esperanza Fire. Overall, he is charged with almost two-dozen counts of arson and 17 counts of setting fires with an incendiary device. Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco held a news conference on May 9, 2007, and announced plans to seek the death penalty against Oyler, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

A trial date of April 14, 2008, was set at a hearing on December 14, 2007, before Riverside Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Prevost. Prevost held a closed meeting with prosecution and defense attorneys in his chambers before setting the date; the transcript of that meeting has been sealed. Oyler, who remains in custody, was instructed to appear for another hearing, which will be closed to the public and media, on January 25. Judge Prevost ordered the attorneys for both sides not to disclose the nature of the January 25 court session.

Effects

*Riverside County is establishing a fund to help the families of the firefighters who were killed fighting the fire. Donations for the families can be sent to Riverside County, with a notation specifying that it's to go to the Firemen's Family Relief Fund, and addressed to: P.O. Box 1645, Riverside, CA, 92502.

*Several high school football games (including Paloma Valley, Murrieta Valley High School, and Hemet High) scheduled Friday in the Riverside County area near the Esperanza fire were postponed because of poor air quality.

*Sunbelt League games were rescheduled for Monday, while Southwestern League games might have been made up either Saturday or Monday.

*A 27 October concert at the Soboba Casino by country music star Alan Jackson was indefinitely postponed since the venue was such a short distance from the fire line and authorities did not wish to allow more people in the area than necessary. Patrons were issued a full refund since Jackson's schedule did not allow the show to be immediately rescheduled.

*A public memorial was held on 5 November, 2006 at the Hyundai Pavilion in Devore, CA for the five fallen firefighters. [ [http://www.mymotherlode.com/News/article/kvml/1162398211 MyMotherLode.com - Local News - Serving Tuolumne, Calaveras and Amador Counties ] ]

*The community (worldwide) donated over $1.3 Million to the Central County United Way and nearly $400,000 to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation in support of the families of the fallen firefighters. Donations to the surviving families were received from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, France, and the UK.

*The United States Congress and the California Legislature both passed laws to ensure the funds would go to the families without taxation of the receiving families, as well as those giving donations being able to consider their donations as tax deductible.

*On May 9, 2007, the Riverside County attorney general said he would pursue the death penalty against the arsonist who started the fire.

NASA Altair UAV Fire Mapping Mission

The California Office of Emergency Services requested NASA support, and in under 24 hours the General Atomics Altair (NASA variant of the Predator B) was launched on a 16 hour mission to map the perimeter of the fire. The Altair had just returned from a test mission a day before the Esperanza Fire started. The fire mapping research is a joint project with NASA and the US Forest Service. [http://ic.arc.nasa.gov/story.php?id=388&sec=] [ [http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/NewsReleases/2006/06-45.html NASA - NASA Supports UAS Fire Mapping Efforts on California Fire ] ]

References

External links

*http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_er_memorial_esperanza.php (Esperanza Accident Report)
*http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,225863,00.html
*http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=161
*http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15428042/
*http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15450676/site/newsweek/
*http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/10/31/national/a194630S24.DTL