Two Morgan Hill boys suspected of arson in Sunday morning blaze
Two 14-year-old Morgan Hill boys are suspected of setting the
backside of El Toro Mountain on fire Sunday morning, a blaze that
was quickly extinguished by California Department of Forestry
firefighters. The fire, which was first reported at about 10am
Sunday, burned approximately a quarter of an acre on the backside
of Morgan Hill
’s signature peak before it was contained.
Two 14-year-old Morgan Hill boys are suspected of setting the backside of El Toro Mountain on fire Sunday morning, a blaze that was quickly extinguished by California Department of Forestry firefighters.
The fire, which was first reported at about 10am Sunday, burned approximately a quarter of an acre on the backside of Morgan Hill’s signature peak before it was contained.
Firefighters were quick to respond to the fire with a CDF helicopter to drop water on the fire. Although trucks were unable to make the steep climb to the peak, several firefighters responded on foot and airplanes extinguished the blaze with fire retardant. Fortunately, a lack of wind kept the flames from spreading out of control, according to CDF fire prevention specialist Capt. Jeremy Monroe.
“A lot of people saw it, saw the smoke since it was at the peak,” Monroe said. “Aircraft were the first at the scene and did most of the containment. It started at the top of the peak, skunked around and burned at the top.”
Morgan Hill resident Debbie Zipnick and her husband were some of the first people who spotted firefighters battling the blaze that flooded the local police and fire departments with calls from worried residents. Zipnick said her husband saw the fire as he was leaving the house, but quickly ducked back inside to grab his camera.
“He saw them beginning to dump the buckets on the fire,” she said. “We’re glad they were able to get to it so quickly. It’s such a pretty hill, I’d hate to see it and the wildlife there damaged by fire.”
Other local residents also had their eyes on the mountain. At least one spotted the two suspects walking away from the fire and alerted the police, Morgan Hill Police Cmdr. Terrie Booten said Monday.
“Someone saw the kids coming down the hill, away from the fire area, saw smoke coming from the area and called us,” she said. “They were able to give a very complete description of the boys, who were then located. One of them had matches in his pocket.”
The boys were apprehended at the 7-11 store on West Main Ave. and questioned before being released to their parents Sunday afternoon, Booten said. Police turned over the information to a CDF arson investigator who could not be located for comment.
CDF crews also had extra help battling Sunday’s blaze from a new fire retardant substance, according to CDF Chief Darrell Wolf.
“It’s a gel, the same thing that’s in disposable diapers,” he said. “It’s biodegradable, just washes away with water and breaks down. It’s much better than what we used to use, which contained iron oxide and fertilizers. You had to worry about that getting into the watershed.”
Another fire, northwest of Morgan Hill on McKean Road, burned approximately four acres Saturday morning before it was extinguished by CDF firefighters.
