California governor declares wildfire
state of emergency
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[September 02, 2017]
By Keith Coffman
(Reuters) - California Governor Jerry Brown
on Friday issued an emergency declaration for a wildfire burning in the
northern part of the state, the same day the man accused of starting the
blaze was charged with arson.
The so-called Ponderosa Fire has burned 3,715 acres (1,503 hectares) and
destroyed 30 homes in Butte County, prompting authorities to issue
evacuation orders to residents of some 500 homes in the area, officials
said. It was 40 percent contained on Friday, up from 30 percent the day
before.
The blaze is burning east of the town of Oroville, about 85 miles (137
km) north of the state capital of Sacramento.
The declaration will free up additional resources to battle the blaze,
which erupted on Tuesday from a campfire that was started outside a
designated area.
The man charged with starting the fire, John Ballenger, made his first
court appearance in Butte County Superior Court on Friday, District
Attorney Michael Ramsey said in a telephone interview.
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Ballenger is charged with two counts of arson and was ordered held on a
$1 million bond, Ramsey said. Ballenger could face up to seven years and
eight months in prison if convicted.
Ballenger was appointed a public defender and is due back in court to
enter a plea on Wednesday. The public defender's office could not be
reached for comment.
Ballenger was camping on property his family owns, Ramsey said.
"He had a campfire burning 24-7," the district attorney said.
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A firefighter battles the Ponderosa Fire east of Oroville,
California. REUTERS/Noah Berger
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Meanwhile, another wildfire broke out on Friday, more than 400 miles
(644 km) south of the Ponderosa blaze, in a north Los Angeles
neighborhood.
The 2,000-acre (810 hectare) blaze triggered the closure of a
section of the 210 Freeway as it tore through brush, and authorities
also told residents of 200 homes in the area to evacuate because of
approaching flames, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman
Margaret Stewart.
In Montana, Governor Steve Bullock on Friday declared a state of
disaster due to wildfires as dozens raged across tens of thousands
of acres during one of the worst fire seasons in state history.
Bone-dry conditions, high winds and triple-digit temperatures pose
"an imminent threat" to residents, Bullock said in the disaster
declaration, which would allow the state to mobilize additional
Montana National Guard troops and tap other state resources to
combat the blazes.
(Reporting by Keith Coffman in Denver; Additional reporting by Laura
Zuckerman in Salmon, Idaho, and Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles,;
Editing by Richard Chang and Nick Macfie)
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