# 4 Firefighters Dead in California Arson **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 27, 2006, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-firefighters-dead-in-california-arson/378139 "2006-10-27T16:28:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-firefighters-dead-in-california-arson/378139/21 "2006-10-28T16:56:37Z")
In one case,they found that they dude who was setting the fires did so because the fires brought his truck-rental company extra money. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-firefighters-dead-in-california-arson/378139/22 "2006-10-28T21:47:13Z")
Our anger towards the individual whose act has killed the four firefighters is contrasted by words which only a forgiving mother could speak: > [@](#): > > “You already know that you have a problem,” Bonnie McKay, whose son Jason, 27, died Thursday, said in remarks aimed at whoever deliberately touched off the inferno. > > “I firmly believe you didn’t believe that things were going to turn out the way they did, but they did. Don’t let the remorse eat you alive. Come forward. … I for one will try not to judge you. There is only one who can judge you,” the grieving mother said at a press conference at a fire station in the community of Apple Valley. [Full article here](http://www.pe.com/ap_news/California2/CA_SoCal_Wildfire_259702CA.shtml). ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-firefighters-dead-in-california-arson/378139/23 "2006-11-02T20:05:34Z")
They got him. [http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/02/socal.wildfire.ap/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/02/socal.wildfire.ap/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2006, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-firefighters-dead-in-california-arson/378139/24 "2006-11-03T04:14:42Z")
It is so hard to understand. Even harder to forgive. I don’t know if I can. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2006, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-firefighters-dead-in-california-arson/378139/25 "2006-11-03T07:17:25Z")
Do not pass go, do not collect $200.00, right this way to the execution chamber Mr. Oyler. If, of course, he did it. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2006, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-firefighters-dead-in-california-arson/378139/26 "2006-11-03T13:12:11Z")
Last year, some guys went for a BBQ in Guadalajara (Spain) in the summer. Fires in wild zones had been forbidden for months because of the even-drier-than-usual weather. The BBQ area had police tape around it. These guys cut the tape and proceeded to light up. 15 firefighters dead ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-firefighters-dead-in-california-arson/378139/27 "2006-11-03T16:47:17Z")
I don’t think anyone mentioned it upthread, but the fifth firefighter died as well (when he was rescued, while the others were already dead, he had third degree burns over 95% of his body). Sometimes I wonder if firefighters really should be defending all the properties they try to defend. Especially up in the hills where there’s more bush than buildings. Saving someone’s home is admirable, but a house is ultimately not worth a firefighter’s life. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-firefighters-dead-in-california-arson/378139/28 "2006-11-03T18:37:22Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] They got him. [http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/02/socal.wildfire.ap/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/02/socal.wildfire.ap/index.html) [/QUOTE] [I wonder if Oyler is the older brother of this guy.](http://www.courttv.com/trials/peterson/photo_gallery/09.html) ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-firefighters-dead-in-california-arson/378139/29 "2006-11-04T04:25:01Z")
[QUOTE=Pleonast] I don’t think anyone mentioned it upthread, but the fifth firefighter died as well (when he was rescued, while the others were already dead, he had third degree burns over 95% of his body). Sometimes I wonder if firefighters really should be defending all the properties they try to defend. Especially up in the hills where there’s more bush than buildings. Saving someone’s home is admirable, but a house is ultimately not worth a firefighter’s life. [/QUOTE] Start with Peshtigo, read about 1910, Mann Gulch, et. al.-we’ve been fighting this battle for over a century. There’s no easy answer. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-firefighters-dead-in-california-arson/378139/30 "2006-11-04T04:50:15Z")
The way I understand it, the firefighter upper echelon determine what the threat will be if they do not protect a particular structure or group of trees. If the threat to the community is too great, then they fight it. Otherwise they try to contain it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-firefighters-dead-in-california-arson/378139.md?page=1)