Today the president was in the immediate vicinity. Was he with the governor? I’m not at home and only know from folks who called me and from what doriangrey posted on another thread.

The evacuation is over as of today and the neighbors came back. I’ll go home tomorrow night, exhausted to have observed from afar, with 150 homes burned not far away and 6 in the immediate neighborhood. It was very close on Tuesday and anything could have happened, but for a small windshift which didn’t materialize. Time to reconsider many things.

The arsonists should be tried on the spot and then thrown into the fires. This morning on FOX a psychologist said that they’re mainly antisocial types, who enjoy the havoc they initiate, youth who don’t know better and are bored, and I missed the 3rd category.

Two more people have been booked for investigation of arson in Southern California.

Authorities say an adult and a juvenile were arrested after they started a small brush fire Tuesday night in the San Diego suburb of Vista.

The fire burned about 200 square feet before firefighters put it out.

The adult was identified as Gorgonio Nava. The other was not identified because he is a juvenile.

At least four people have been arrested for investigation of arson since the wildfires broke out over the weekend. None of the suspects has been connected to any of the major blazes.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/10/24/state/n125813D95.DTL&tsp=1

Gorgonio Nava? Isn’t “Nava” a Hispanic name? Now the question comes down to this if it is the case, an illegal alien or not?

The latest arrest came Wednesday after witnesses spotted 41-year-old Catalino Pineda starting a fire on a San Fernando Valley hillside and then walking away, Los Angeles police said.

Witnesses alerted authorities and followed him to a nearby restaurant where police arrested him.

Pineda, a Guatemala native, was booked for investigation of arson and held on $75,000 bail. He’s currently on probation for making excessive false emergency reports to law enforcement, police said.

http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=4739377&version=4&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.3.1

An illegal alien?

Ya okay. What if Jimbo tells you that Ricky called you the n-word. What if I know he didn’t.

Who should I denounce?

What prompted the cops to shoot to kill, versus disable?

Even with someone standing still it’s pretty hard to hit anything smaller than a paper plate (8″ circle). That pretty well leaves you with vital areas. Even if you are good enough to ’shoot them in the leg’ you have to worry about a lot of things – including where the bullet will go after passing through something small like that. The only ‘leg’ shot I know of that’s worth taking is a shot to the pelvis which is just about as likely to be fatal as a shot to COM (Center Of Mass).

Put someone in a vehicle and you’re lucky to get a COM shot and will probably have to go for a head shot. Head shot’s are trickier – there’s really just about a 2″ wide band around the head (level with the eyes) that you can be reasonably sure of penetration. Still, as long as you hit ‘em in the head it’ll probably get their attention.

The whole thing is that you’re shooting to stop the threat. Unfortunately for the perpetrators, most shots that will reliably stop someone are shots that can kill. Fortunately for the perpetrators handgun rounds are pretty survivable these days – except for well placed head shots which, as I noted, was probably what they had to take in this case.

All of which is a long way of saying that it’s a bad idea to attack someone.

they were stealing food and water meant for evacuees

That’s their American DREAM folks…how dare you be so judgemental

My husband who works with such people daily says they wouldn’t think that deep about fires, and that I’m being silly.

There have also been local reports that one of the big fires (Santiago, maybe?) was arson and was set in at least 2 separate locations by someone with knowledge of fire behavior. I hope it wasn’t a deranged fire fighter.

Six undocumented Mexican immigrants were arrested today by U.S. Border Patrol agents at Qualcomm Stadium, after a report that they were stealing food and water meant for evacuees, according to spokesman Damon Foreman.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/breakingnews/2007/10/six-undocumente.html

Not quite…but how dare they!

I just want to know what his name is. A name can add a lot to this story.

I am hearing that the name will be released tomorrow.

Better pray that it ain’t Ahmed or Jose…

The economic impact is great

Locally, true, but still short-lived. As far as the overall economy is concerned, it’s not even an annoying gnat.

I agree cops did the right thing. I just want to better understand the circumstances that brought it all about.

As far as I know, the guy bolted, got in his vehicle and proceeded to ram the cop cars, thereby weaponizing his vehicle and presenting a credible threat to life…not for long, though ;-)

Terrorists have expressed lighting fires and may have already done so in the American West in the past and in other countries such as Greece.

Yes, but accomplishing such an act doesn’t award the terrorists with them virgins ya know. /semi-sarc off

Envy — whoever kicks Ted Ralls ass for this, I envy. Lust — Someone really really likes fire. Pity we don’t use firing squads to deal with them. Gluttony — they always want more, and they won’t rest until they get it. Greed — …

Now if the arsonists had co-horts infiltrate EVAC centers and co-ordinate an attack post fire lighting (think Beslan style hostage situation) then I would believe it to be a terrorist attack for sure.

Terrorists have expressed lighting fires and may have already done so in the American West in the past and in other countries such as Greece.

Fairly cheap and inexpensive to pull-off as well.

What prompted the cops to shoot to kill, versus disable?

Because we do not live in a Hollyweird fantasy land.

Weaponizing a vehicle will rightfully earn you a dirt nap.

The cop(s) did the right thing in this situation.

The AMAZING thing is that FINALLY, Bush is NOT to blame for something!

Why did the Arizona man get in a car and try to ram a cruiser?

What prompted the cops to shoot to kill, versus disable?

Maybe an illegal alien arsonist(s)?

Kokonut on October 25, 2007 at 11:42 AM

Fifteen years ago I used to live and hike around the Poway reservoir, an area near SD that was hard hit in this fire. There were often “homeless” Hispanic men camped out/hanging out in those hills. I didn’t even understand at that time that they were illegals en route north. But there was a lot of camping and a lot of fires that could easily get out of control.