Mexican Drug Cartel Marijuana Operation Caused La Brea Fire
Fire Investigators Determine Cause of La Brea Fire
Incident: La Brea Wildfire
Released: 24 hrs. ago
Date: August 15, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
FIRE INVESTIGATORS DETERMINE CAUSE OF LA BREA FIRE
GOLETA, CA… A week-long investigation by U.S. Forest Service Special Agents, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit and Fire Investigators has revealed the cause of the La Brea Fire. Investigators revealed that the La Brea Fire was started by a cooking fire in a marijuana drug trafficking operation.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit has confirmed that the camp at the origin of the fire was an illegal marijuana operation believed to be run by a Mexican National Drug Organization. The Narcotics Unit has been working in the area within the last month eradicating other nearby marijuana cultivation sites.
Although the La Brea Fire started more than one week ago, there is evidence that the unburned marijuana garden area has been occupied within the last several days. The Narcotics Unit has secured the camp area which was located in remote and rugged terrain. It is also believed that the suspects are still within the San Rafael Wilderness trying to leave the area on foot. Officials warn not to approach anyone who looks suspicious but to instead contact the nearest law enforcement agency.
Anyone with further information is urged to contact U.S. Forest Service, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department or local law enforcement agencies.
The investigation continues with cooperating agencies including Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, Santa Barbara County Fire Department, Cal Fire, and other local agencies.
The La Brea Fire Tip Line is still open, and anyone with additional information helpful to this ongoing investigation is urged to contact investigators at (805) 686-5074. Your call may remain anonymous.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department will release more information regarding the Narcotics investigation on Monday. The media contact at the Sheriff’s Department is Drew Sugars, Public Information Officer, at 805.681.4192.
For media inquiries regarding the investigation of the cause and origin of the La Brea Fire, contact the U.S. Forest Service at (805) 961-5707, and an investigator will return you call.
*Jointly released with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit
The La Brea Fire [here] in Santa Barbara County is now up to 86,811 acres and is 64% contained. At last report (6:00pm this evening) 2,080 firefighters and other personnel are engaged in fighting the fire. There are 141 engines, 59 firecrews, 29 dozers, 54 water tenders, 14 helicopters, and 5 fixed wing aircraft including the Martin Mars super scooper, an aircraft with a 200 foot wingspan that can hold 7,200 gallons of water. It is the world’s largest scooping water bomber. Suppression costs to date are an estimated $18 to $20 million. The fire is in Unified Command with the USFS and Cal Fire; J. Pincha-Tulley and R. Lewin are joint Incident Commanders.
Structures threatened include 243 residences and 16 outbuildings. An evacuation order is still in effect for the 23 threatened residences on Foothill Road, 7 residences on Buckhorn Ridge, 5 Pine Canyon, and 199 in Tepusquet. The White Oaks Ranger Station has been incinerated.
The La Brea Fire ignited in Cottonwood Canyon and has spread south and east to the Cuyama Valley. Three days ago it jumped the Sisquoc River by the Manzana Schoolhouse Campground. The fire reached the edge of the Zaca Burn (2007) but instead of stopping it continued south and is burning within the old Zaca perimeter.
Flash flooding next winter is expected, as occurred after the Zaca Fire. Officials are concerned that protective levees from Santa Maria to Guadalupe may be overwhelmed due to the significant loss of soil infiltration and water holding capacity within the burned watershed.
One could say with certainty that ‘meth labs’ are an accelerant. Perhaps marajuana plants are, too.
If the Feds or local law enforcement bust one grow area, you have to know that another hundred are going undetected. The predominant use, now, of roadless areas is Mexican drug cartel, illegal alien tended, marijuana grows and opium poppies. And it is a pandemic in the West.
We are now overrun with dope grows in roadless areas, and in remote area that can be accessed by hardy individuals from Michoacan, MX, who walk miles for water each day at home. If you see a rig in the back country, with a windowless canopy, I will bet you it is something to do with drugs. The license should be noted, and the area, and the local sheriff notified. They are everywhere now. and it is harvest time. They have to be out before bow season, which is in two weeks. I would be flying the back country with heat seeking FLIR equipment if I were Governor. That is what the Natl Guard is for. Better would be one Predator drone for the month of August to fly grids in the back country, and GPS the cooking fires that would show at night now. They can be investigated as possible sleeper fires. But that involves effort, and our Governor never had any “go” to his makeup. No Effort Ted…
Reply: What is the connection between the Clinton/Dombeck/Obama/Vilseck 60 million acres of “roadless” areas and the Mexican Drug Cartel? They seem to working hand in glove. Is that just a coincidence?