Santa Rosa Brush Fires 'Suspicious,' Fire Official Says

SONOMA COUNTY, CA -- The Santa Rosa Fire Department is investigating two of three brush fires that broke out over the weekend as suspicious. All three fires were located in open space wildland areas of the city; the first was in a homeless encampment near the Chanate Historic Cemetery, while the second and third fires occurred behind Highway 12 along the Santa Rosa Creek bike path near Flat Rock Park, according to Assistant Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal.

"The fire located near the Chanate Historic Cemetery was determined to be human caused," Lowenthal said. "The other two fires near Flat Rock Park are considered suspicious and remain under investigation."

At 5:39 a.m. Saturday, Santa Rosa firefighters responded to multiple 911 calls regarding a column of smoke coming from the open space area along Paulin Creek and Hyland Court. Lowenthal said due to the proximity of homes and current fire season conditions, multiple engine crews were dispatched. The fire was located at a homeless encampment on property at 3322 Chanate Road that had been vacated prior to firefighters' arrival, he said.

"The cause of the fire was attributed to butane cooking equipment that was found at the area of origin," Lowenthal said. "Firefighters remained on scene for several hours and made routine checks for hot spots throughout the day."

Meanwhile, at 1:29 p.m. Saturday, a fire was reported behind 4310 state Highway 12 along the Santa Rosa Creek bike path. Firefighters contained the blaze within 20 minutes to one-third of an acre of mowed grass along the bike trail and at the back of a property at 4358 Highway 12.

"Seasonal weed abatement efforts by the property owner helped to slow the fire spread which gave firefighters time to keep the fire from reaching nearby structures," Lowenthal said.

Santa Rosa police searched for a suspicious person someone reported seeing leaving the area when the fire started, Lowenthal said, but were unable to find anyone matching the description given by the reporting party.

At 12:47 a.m. Sunday, a fire was reported 4224 Highway 12 -- less than 200 feet from the earlier fire along the bike path, Lowenthal said. Although the fire was contained to less than one-fourth of an acre, it burned a large oak tree, damaged an adjacent fence and threatened nearby homes, he said.

"The location in proximity to the previous fire earlier in the day ... the lack of any natural causes for fire in the area, and the time of day led the investigator to consider the fire suspicious," Lowenthal said.

Lowenthal added that because of weed abatement efforts by both the city of Santa Rosa and property owners, the two suspicious fires remained relatively small and aided firefighting efforts to keep the fires from spreading to nearby homes.

Cal Fire, the Kenwood Fire Protection District and the Rincon Valley Fire Protection District assisted with the firefighting efforts, he said.

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