ZigZagMarquis 9 #1 October 31, 2007 So, do you punnish the boy, the parents, both? ------------------- Story Highlights: - "He admitted playing with matches and starting the fire," says police report - The Boy, whose name and age were not given, is home with his parents - Buckweed Fire burned 38,000 acres, destroyed 63 structures, 21 of them homes LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- A boy playing with matches started a Southern California wildfire that scorched more than 38,000 acres, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Tuesday. The Buckweed Fire, which destroyed 21 homes on its rampage, began October 21 in the Agua Dulce community. "Our arson explosive detectives, in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Fire Department investigators, immediately began their investigation, and during the course of the investigation, it led to a juvenile suspect," Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Tony Moore told CNN's "American Morning" Wednesday. "After talking with that juvenile, he admitted to playing with matches, and accidentally starting the fire in that area," he said. Watch what's next for young suspect » The boy, whose name and age were not given, is home with his parents, police said. The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County district attorney for possible charges. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Buckweed Fire burned 38,526 acres. Sixty-three structures, 21 of them homes, were destroyed, and three civilians and two firefighters were injured. The sheriff's department said the fire forced the evacuation of about 15,000 people. As of Tuesday, 18 of 23 wildfires in Southern California were completely under control, and the remainder were at least 70 percent contained, according to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The fires are blamed for 14 deaths and charred more than 508,000 acres, destroying about 1,600 homes. Five people were arrested in arson probes last week, and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Saturday vowed to "hunt down" people responsible for setting wildfires. Authorities said Saturday they were following 1,700 tips about a white Ford F-150 pickup seen near the origin of the sprawling Santiago Fire in Orange County. Witnesses reported seeing the 1998-2004 model truck with chrome tubular running boards on Santiago Canyon Road on October 21 at about the time the Santiago Fire started. Authorities said last week they had found evidence at the scene, although they declined to describe it. "If I were one of the people who started the fires, I would not sleep soundly right now, because we're right behind you," Schwarzenegger said, urging the culprits to turn themselves in. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AWL71 0 #2 October 31, 2007 Arson. I could have sworn it was Global Warming that started these fires. Its just so damn hot that fires are poping up everywhere. The boy needs to be puniushed somehow. Take him to all of the burned out homes to help clean up. Let him see the result of his handywork. Have him look the owners of the burned out homes in the eyes and apologize.The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,151 #3 October 31, 2007 QuoteArson. I could have sworn it was Global Warming that started these fires. . Since you've moved into the plural, between the arson incidents, the downed power line, the explosion of a transformer and welding accident in LA County, and idiots throwing cigarettes out of cars there is plenty of blame to go around. However, a fire needs an ignition source, AND fuel and oxygen. Idiots or criminals didn't supply the dry grass, trees and shrubs.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #4 October 31, 2007 QuoteHave him look the owners of the burned out homes in the eyes and apologize. nonsense, he's a victim of BIG OIL and BIG TOBACCO companies that subsidize match producers we need to immediately give him: Free health care, Free college education, counseling to get in touch with his feminine side, free sex change after the counseling next - raise taxes on everyone that makes over $25000 a year (and give them free health care), outlaw smoking, and cars that get less than 35 mpg - until we bankrupt all auto manufacturers they won't develop more energy efficient cars. finally, the US government should apologize for the fire and give reparations to every country that lies under a common jet stream - and other countries too. The UN can administer it. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #5 October 31, 2007 QuoteIdiots or criminals didn't supply the dry grass, trees and shrubs. Yes they did - they are called the Sierra Club, et al ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AWL71 0 #6 October 31, 2007 QuoteQuoteHave him look the owners of the burned out homes in the eyes and apologize. nonsense, he's a victim of BIG OIL and BIG TOBACCO companies that subsidize match producers we need to immediately give him: Free health care, Free college education, counseling to get in touch with his feminine side, free sex change after the counseling next - raise taxes on everyone that makes over $25000 a year (and give them free health care), outlaw smoking, and cars that get less than 35 mpg - until we bankrupt all auto manufacturers they won't develop more energy efficient cars. finally, the US government should apologize for the fire and give reparations to every country that lies under a common jet stream - and other countries too. The UN can administer it. You are right. I forgot that taking personal responsibility for ones mistakes causes too many hurt feelings and we can't have that. We have to think about the children.The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
champu 1 #7 October 31, 2007 QuoteQuoteArson. I could have sworn it was Global Warming that started these fires. . Since you've moved into the plural, between the arson incidents, the downed power line, the explosion of a transformer and welding accident in LA County, and idiots throwing cigarettes out of cars there is plenty of blame to go around. However, a fire needs an ignition source, AND fuel and oxygen. Idiots or criminals didn't supply the dry grass, trees and shrubs. Sources of ignition come and go, and the brush has been pretty dry for most of the season. If anyone here isn't familiar with Southern California and the phenomenon we experience here, I'd like to point out it wasn't by random chance that all these fires started on the same day. These winds were brutal that day. I watched a tree (not shrubs, not downed branches... a tree) slide down the 91 freeway at a pretty decent clip while driving out to the desert the morning of the 21st. Now the tree was at least considerate enough to stay on the correct side of the freeway (and even in the slow lane too, which I had to chuckle about later) but nevertheless it was a pretty messed up thing to see, and something I hadn't before in SoCal. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Royd 0 #8 October 31, 2007 Quote Arson. I could have sworn it was Global Warming that started these fires. Its just so damn hot that fires are poping up everywhere. He was probably suffering from dehydration and his reasoning faculties were impaired. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airathanas 0 #9 October 31, 2007 QuoteArson. The boy needs to be puniushed somehow. He should go to all the funerals that he is responsible for, too.http://3ringnecklace.com/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,596 #10 October 31, 2007 QuoteQuoteArson. The boy needs to be puniushed somehow. He should go to all the funerals that he is responsible for, too. Yeah, that would be none.Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zipp0 1 #11 October 31, 2007 Well, banning matches would be a good start, I rekon. -------------------------- Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 2 #12 October 31, 2007 Quote"If I were one of the people who started the fires, I would not sleep soundly right now, because we're right behind you," Schwarzenegger said, urging the culprits to turn themselves in. Yeah, right. Just like you urged John Connor's mother to turn herself in. I'll be back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #13 October 31, 2007 Depends ... is the "boy" 16? Or 6? That info wasn't released ... but age would be a big consideration in how I might want authorities to react."There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 9 #14 November 14, 2007 10-year-old won't face charges for setting fire, attorneys say Story Highlights: - There is no evidence that the boy intended to set the fire, prosecutors say. - He had faced possible charges in juvenile court after admitting to setting blaze. - The boy was playing with matches; the blaze destroyed 21 homes. - The Buckweed fire started October 21 north of Los Angeles LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- No charges will be brought against a 10-year-old boy accused of accidentally starting an October wildfire that scorched more than 38,000 acres north of Los Angeles, California, prosecutors announced Tuesday. "There is no evidence of intent on the part of the minor," the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said in a written statement issued Tuesday afternoon. "The district attorney's office is referring the matter to the Department of Children and Family Services for evaluation of the minor's situation to determine if other intervention is necessary." The boy had faced possible charges in juvenile court after admitting to sheriff's deputies that he had started the Buckweed fire by playing with matches, investigators said. The blaze eventually destroyed 21 homes and 42 other structures. The fire started October 21 in the Agua Dulce community north of Los Angeles. It was one of nearly two dozen wind-whipped wildfires that swept across southern California in late October, forcing hundreds of thousands of people from homes near Los Angeles, San Diego and San Bernardino and leaving 14 people dead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rapter 0 #15 November 15, 2007 So what do you want, the whole family sent back to Mexico? Only the good die young, so I have found immortality, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 9 #16 November 15, 2007 Quote So what do you want, the whole family sent back to Mexico? Yeah, with a couple of boxes of matches in each of the kid's pockets! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #17 November 15, 2007 It's clear that we need matches control. Ban sale to minors, and require licensing for the rest of us. Same for biq lighters and bottles of butane. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lummy 4 #18 November 15, 2007 OR better yet, let's put serial #'s on every book of matches and require potential match users to register with the appropriate agencyI promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. eat sushi, get smoochieTTK#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
