Posted: 8:32 am Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009
Updated: 11:30 am Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010
49 fire ruled arson; $10,000 reward offered
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closeState fire officials Monday announced a $10,000 reward for help putting the arsonist who set August's 49 fire behind bars.
"We have ruled every other cause out," said Daniel Berlant, a CalFire spokesman.
Berlant would give no details about what led investigators to their conclusion, including whether an accelerant was used.
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He said the arson determination puts to bed speculation that the fire was caused by a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. power line failure.
"The power pole (ignited) as a result of the fire. … The power system was not the cause of the fire," Berlant said.
Berlant said he's hoping the reward will result in fresh clues in the investigation of the fire that destroyed 63 homes and several businesses.
"Arson is a very serious crime," Berlant said. "Anytime we have an arson case, we take it very seriously."
Officials believe there were actually two fires set 20 minutes and a quarter mile apart.
The first call about a fast-moving fire at Highway 49 and Rock Creek Road came in at 2:22 p.m. Aug. 31. At 2:42 p.m., a second fire was reported to the east, officials said.
High winds quickly merged the fires, making matters much worse, Berlant said.
The fire spread across nearly 350 acres in north Auburn, off Highway 49.
Larry Dykes, who lost his Cedar Mist Lane home, was one of those who figured the power pole was the cause. Told it was arson, he said the cause didn't matter to him.
"What is done is done," Dykes said. "We got enough problems as it is without worrying about that."
Auburn Mayor Mike Holmes expressed concern about what caused the fire.
"I'm disturbed that there would be people that would try to do this," he said. "Fortunately, there were no deaths. It could have been a lot worse."
Anyone with information should contact the CalFire arson hotline at (800) 468-4408.
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