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Blazing days leave Brisbane uneasy
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A firefighter battles a three-alarm grass fire burning on eastern San Bruno Mountain in Brisbane.
BRISBANE (Map, News) - Running through whipping wind and clouds of ashy smoke, Ana Contreras rushed into the home of her former boss on San Bruno Mountain to find a swarming grass fire only yards away from the two-story home.
Luckily, she was also met by a team of North County firefighters, who were battling more than the blaze creeping near 800 Harold Road: A wide swath of flames was charring nearly 7 acres of grassland on the south-eastern side of the mountain.
“It came really close,” Contreras said.
What started at noon Tuesday as a one-alarm fire off Bayshore Boulevard quickly grew into a three-alarm blaze due to strong 45-mph winds and dry conditions on the 1,300-foot-tall mountain.
Tuesday’s blaze was the third fire in Brisbane in three days. It exhausted more than 60 firefighters, two planes with fire retardant and a helicopter, said Clyde Preston of the North County Fire Authority.
The cause of all three fires is under investigation. Battalion Chief Tony Maffei would not say if arson was suspected, but he said there was no connection between the first two fires.
Resident Mario Trigonis, who lives on Humboldt Road several hundred yards away from all three fires, has his doubts.
“We’re getting very worried because there have been three fires recently,” said Trigonis, who said he has lived in Brisbane for 17 years. “I hope it’s not an arsonist.”
Councilmember Cy Bologoff said that fires happen in Brisbane, and the three consecutive blazes may have been a simple coincidence.
“I don’t think there is an arsonist running around,” he said. “Who really knows? I just have a feeling it’s one of those accidental things. When you have a mountain and it borders right on the freeway, anything can set it off — like somebody flicking a cigarette from the car.”
The fire, which burned grass and brush in San Bruno Mountain State and County Park, just north of South San Francisco, and on adjacent land nearby, may have posed a danger to the wildlife that live in the area, Preston said.
The blaze billowed smoke over U.S. Highway 101 and shut down several offramps from South San Francisco to Brisbane for hours, California Highway Patrol Officer Van Eckhardt said. He said drivers slowing down to watch the fire caused heavy traffic around 1 p.m., which subsided as the firefighters, covered in smoke and fire retardant, took control of the flames.
Comments from Examiner Readers
5:42 PM MST on Thu., Jun. 26, 2008 re: "Fire could summon 14th-century fear"
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12:16 PM MST on Thu., Jun. 26, 2008
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12:41 PM MST on Wed., Jun. 11, 2008
re: "Man’s grudge vanishes as blaze begins"
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10:06 PM MST on Tue., May. 20, 2008
re: "Residents find their apartment complex garage up in smoke"
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12:14 PM MST on Sat., Apr. 5, 2008
re: "Firefighters uncover marijuana at Mission district fire"
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8:11 AM MST on Tue., Mar. 18, 2008
re: "Fire spreads through Mission apartments"
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7:22 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 17, 2008
re: "Man’s grudge vanishes as blaze begins"
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10:08 PM MST on Wed., Mar. 12, 2008
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10:53 AM MST on Fri., Dec. 7, 2007
re: "Chief took $1,200 trip from Motorola"
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6:33 PM MST on Wed., Nov. 28, 2007
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12:18 PM MST on Sun., Jul. 29, 2007
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3:43 PM MST on Mon., May. 14, 2007
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7:05 AM MST on Mon., May. 14, 2007
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7:17 AM MST on Tue., May. 8, 2007
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Albert Franklin said:
75,000,000 died during the Black Plague starting with 1354! What percent of this were European Christians? How does this play with America's and West Indian's Christians who were also exterminated because of their Christianity? What dreaded diseases brought them down from San Francisco to Gilroy and who is responsible other than France? If October 31 marks "All Saints Day" in Europe, why do we call Mexico's "Days of the Dead," not "All Saints Day" when it begins on the following day: 1, 2, and 3 November?
4 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This story reveals yet more fear mongering propagated by the media. The real story here is not the possibility of a plague, but the desperation of an Examiner reporter looking to scoop a story. Give me a break.
6 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
he should have let it burn ... only section 8 drug dealers and illegal aliens lived in the apartment
451 agree | 6 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
that's too bad. wish him the best of luck
7 agree | 6 disagree
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Seven said:
In the Mission, the surprise would be if they DIDN'T find marijuana.
6 agree | 6 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I live just one block from the Valencia fire i would like to give massive credit to the SFFD for the way they handled this fire.. Way to go guys and gals...
15 agree | 8 disagree
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Eddie House said:
I would like to know why the police & fire department refused to investigate and take action against the tenants that discarded cigarettes onto my boat cover, on the dry grass area around my stack of firewood. On two occasions I found burned wood laminate strips placed on my deck and dry grass near the boat. But most of all want to know why after 12 or more false calls of burning trash “ and the city knows damn well they were FALSE CALLS as they broke into my home only to find firewood in the EPA woodstove” WHY DID YOU CONTINUE TO HARRASS ME ? AND NOT TAKE ACTION ON THE TENANTS THAT MADE THESE FALSE CALLS OF TRASH BEING BURNED?
490 agree | 6 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
When your being evicted from your apartment, you go out with a blaze of glory ? Or just another attempt to set fire to his boat that went all to wrong ? No cleaning or security depost refund for you ! But you are entitled to free room & board at the county jail !.
272 agree | 6 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I better watch out! I'll try not to cry... When Santa Claus comes to town I'll be wearing a frown when reporters get wind that; Citizens "took" gifts...instead of ; Citizens "received" gifts... Geeze!
177 agree | 185 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Very interesting and informative article. In Nashville Tn group home providers with less than 8 clients with disabilities are now required to have sprinkler system and many will close due to a lack funds. Who can I contact to get assistance? Perrion Gordon
192 agree | 194 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
i am allans daughter kaitlyn and i just wanted to say that he will be forever missed and that he loved doing wat he was i never loved any one theway a daughter loves a father. love, kaitlyn roberts
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Examiner Reader said:
Who cares?
359 agree | 362 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Why is this a story? It was $1,200 and the city reviewed and approved. Sounds like someone is trying to make something out of nothing. Shame on you.
505 agree | 361 disagree
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Precious Jenkins said:
i am one of the nieces of the decreased and the cousin of the mother. this is and was a terrible fire that took 5 members of our family. annette was my father's youngest sister and one of my godmother. my father just had lost a sister 1 year and 4 days before. and now he only have one sister. this fire made our family feel that life to short to be walking around and not talking and loving your family members. a family that prays together says together!!!
767 agree | 396 disagree
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