Late last week, when I read the news on-line then heard it repeated on radio and television news, I knew it was coming. FIRE! Never fails. Triple digit temperatures and hot, gusty Santa Ana winds were on their way. If Mother Nature does not provide ignition, I thought, some evildoer will.  Reports of red flag conditions just seem to bring out the worst in some people, and the best in others. Fire did, indeed, break out on Tuesday, September 22, in the small southern California city, Moorpark, where I’ve lived for the past 14 years. While it was far too early to know the source of ignition when first I heard of the fire, I cynically predicted arson. Perhaps because on Monday afternoon, as I stood in the 100+ degree heat watching my son play high school water polo, another mom and I expressed both mutual concern about the impending red flag conditions and hope that our dire predictions would not manifest. I said, “I hope some fool does not hear of these climatic conditions and decide to get his jollies by setting a fire.”

But, as I sat at my dining room table before my laptop Tuesday morning catching up on the news, checking e-mail, and posting on Facebook, the wind began to build. Strong, hot blasts of air forced wind chimes hanging from the arbor to clang in continuous cacophony while cushions blew from patio furniture and scattered about the lawn with so many fallen leaves. Then, the plaintive wail of sirens and the distant, buzzing of helicopters interrupted familiar neighborhood sounds. My stomach dropped. “Oh no,” I thought. Several minutes later, my husband called to say there was, indeed, a fire burning in Moorpark and to be aware of some road closures. It seemed like deja vu all over again. Back in December, 2007, Moorpark was the site of the Shekell/Happy Camp wildfire that burned more than 13,000 acres and destroyed 8 structures. That fire was not the result of arson but of high winds and displaced power lines. I will never forget driving back home to Moorpark from nearby Thousand Oaks along Highway 23 North. Fire could be seen licking the edges of the surrounding hills, while smoke and ash floated through the air and discolored the sky in brown hazy smog.

So, here we are again. Our local firefighters have not really even had a chance to catch their breath since the Station Fire, which is now about 94% contained, according to officials. While never threatening Moorpark, the arson Station Fire, which has been burning for the past 28 days, is near full containment. But, many of our own local area firefighters had only just recently returned to Moorpark after battling that blaze.

According to the Ventura County Fire Department website, at last report more than 1,831 firefighters are battling this latest fire, officially known as the Guiberson Fire. The fire, which started south of Fillmore and is burning towards Moorpark, is currently at 16,400 acres and growing. Eight firefighters have sustained injuries. Despite what my husband says, I HATE to be right about this. But, I’m no clairvoyant. This is so predictable. High winds, severe heat, and low humidity are the recipe for just such a natural disaster. But, it initially appeared my prediction was only partially accurate. While fire did, indeed, follow the red flag conditions report, initial reports were that the Guiberson wildfire’s cause was not arson. Instead, early reports by Ventura County Sheriff’s Department cited the cause as spontaneous combustion of manure at a local ranch. Holy exploding crap! That was the first time I’d ever heard of a fire emanating from that source. But, then the story changed. Yesterday, September 23, officials reported the fire’s cause to be under investigation, according to the Ventura County Star. It seems some suspicious and strange reports of a dead, beheaded goat and a series of small fires in the same area over the past 9 months may push the Guiberson Fire inquiry into a whole different direction. Weird. But, it still doesn’t feel good to possibly be right, after all.

No matter the cause, California must be home to the hardest working firefighters in America. How can “thank you” ever be enough? My thoughts and prayers are with the injured firefighters and their families and, indeed, all the crews currently risking their lives to contain this fire. Thank you for your tireless and vigilant efforts to protect and safeguard our property, homes and families. You are my heroes.