Fire Officials Say Deadly California Wildfire Intentionally Set

A spokesman for the Riverside County Fire Department told the Associated Press on Thursday that investigators are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for setting the Esperanza fire. Fire officials believe the wildfire, which started near Palm Springs, CA, was deliberately started at about 1 a.m. Thursday morning.

Riverside County Fire Chief John Hawkins said that the arson "constitutes murder." Four firefighters were killed fighting the blaze and one remains critically injured. The five firefighters were working to protect a home in the path of the fire, and they were sitting inside their fire engine about 6:00 a.m. when it was suddenly overrun by flames that were at least 100 feet high.

Three of the men were pronounced dead at the scene. The two injured men were airlifted to a burn center for treatment, but one of them had suffered burns over 95% of his body, and he died after being taken to the hospital. All U.S. Forest Service personnel were pulled off working the fire to let them gather their thoughts and say prayers for the victims and their families.

The first, which started near the community of Cabazon, grew rapidly and eventually engulfed thousands of acres as warm winds spread the blaze quickly. The winds limited the success of fighting the fire from the air, according to Fire Capt. Rick Griggs. "(The wind) makes it very difficult for our fixed-wing aircraft ... and helicopters," Griggs said. "We may not be able to fly into some of these areas and not make as aggressive of an attack as we could."

The blaze is about 90 miles east of Los Angeles and 17 miles northwest of Palm Springs, burning across ground cover made of grass and chaparral. Firefighters said that type of ground surface burns hot and fast, but does not have much staying power if it is controlled. However, forestry officials are worried that the fire might reach part of the San Bernardino National Forest, because it contains hundreds of dead trees resulting from a bark-beetle infestation, so the trees would burn quickly and the fire would spread rapidly.

Highway 243 has been completely blocked by firefighters, although residents near the Silent Valley Club are in no immediate danger. However, the fire has destroyed at least three homes since it began, and quickly burned more than 4,000 acres. About 200 people have been evacuated from their homes near Cabazon in the communities of Twin Pines and Poppet Ranch. Up to 400 people were trapped at an RV park near Palm Springs because the fire has blocked the only road out.

Another brush fire is burning farther north in the Napa valley, with strong winds and rugged terrain making the blaze tough to fight. But the fire was partially contained after burning through about 80 acres. No homes were in danger, but about two dozen residents were evacuated as a precaution.