Old Fire Suspect Accused of Serious Crime in Jail

Suspected arsonist Rickie Lee Fowler charged with jailhouse sodomy
From Los Angeles Daily News
Updated: 09/10/2010 01:05:32 PM PDT

RANCHO CUCAMONGA — Jailhouse sodomy charges have been filed against a suspected arsonist facing trial for a 2003 Southern California wildfire that destroyed more than 1,000 homes and led to five deaths.

San Bernardino County prosecutors say 29-year-old Rickie Lee Fowler is charged with three felony counts of sodomy by force and one felony count of sodomy in a correctional facility. A Tuesday preliminary hearing is scheduled on the latest charges.

Prosecutor Vic Stull told the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin that Fowler forced himself on another inmate for sex on Aug. 21 at the county's Rancho Cucamonga jail.

Prosecutors claim Fowler set the 91,281-acre Old Fire that caused five deadly heart attacks. has pleaded not guilty to five counts of murder and two arson counts.

Source: http://www.dailynews.com/wildfires/ci_16042025

Fire Season Closes in Santa Barbara County

Officials Announce A Change In Fire Season
Jim Bunner
KEYT-TV Santa Barbara

Story Created: Nov 28, 2010 at 6:37 PM PST

Santa Barbara - As fall turns to winter, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department will begin the transition Monday of lowering the fire danger risk and fewer burning restrictions.

Beginning at 8 a.m., the County Fire Department will follow other local agencies by stepping down from a high-fire-season preparedness level to a lower one.

The U.S. Forest Service also reduced fire restrictions in the Los Padres National Forest. Campfires and charcoal barbecues are once again allowed in all areas of the forest, and prohibitions on smoking and target shooting were also lifted. Cal Fire, the fire agency for San Luis Obispo County, transitioned to low fire season back on November 8th.

Structure Fire LACOFD 37's P-8 and 10th Street East

Los Angeles County Firefighters responded to a reported commercial structure fire at P-8 and 10th Street East Saturday evening at approximately 11:15 PM in the City of Palmdale. Upon arrival Engine Companies 37 and 24 found a large commercial building well involved with fire and with flames shooting 50 feet into the air. The building appears to be a former storage facility and does not appear to be occupied at the time of the fire. Firefighting units took approximately 1 hour to extinguish the fire. The fire is under investigation, there are no reported injuries or damage to exposures.

Vehicle Fire LACOFD 80

Los Angeles County Firefighters responded to a vehicle fire on the North Bound 14 Freeway just north of Pear Blossom Highway today at approximately 3:00 pm today. Upon arrival firefighters found a vehicle well involved with fire on the right shoulder of the freeway. All occupants escaped injury. It took County Firefighters about 10 minutes to get the fire under control. Traffic was slowed for about 30 minutes until the vehicle could be removed from the freeway.

Photos Jeff Zimmerman

Family Rescued from Early Morning House Fire, Palmdale CA

Los Angeles County Firefighters were summoned to an early morning house fire at 37807Rose Marie in the City of Palmdale, November 23, 2010. Upon arrival firefighter paramedics from rescue squad 37 found six people still inside the burning single family dwelling. Firefighters rescued four children and two adults from the burning home while neighbors watched anxiously. Firefighters also rescued a small puppy that could not escape the flames. Firefighters aggressively attacked the fire simultaneously while squad 37 personnel were performing search and rescue functions. The home sustained serious smoke damage, fire damage appeared to be confined to the garage. All occupants appear to be uninjured thanks to the aggressive rescue efforts of Los Angeles County Firefighters.

Photos Copyright Jeff Zimmerman, Zimmerman Media LLC

Winter Style Storm In Southern California

SHOWERS AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY AS ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM PASSES THROUGH THE AREA OVERNIGHT. SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL THROUGH THE NIGHT AS WELL...BRINGING EARLY SEASON SNOW TO LOWER MOUNTAIN ELEVATIONS. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE MONDAY AND TUESDAY...THEN SKIES WILL BEGIN TO CLEAR BY WEDNESDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE BRINGING MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND WARMER TEMPERATURES TO THE AREA THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK.

By Wednesday the offshore winds will return to So Cal with near advisory levels through Friday as high pressure builds over the Great Basin.

Physical Rescue Assignment South Los Angeles

Physical rescue assignment for Task Force 10, North Bound 110 Freeway Offramp near 8th Street, Task Force 10 members extricate a male patient from wreckage 03:27 am Saturday Nov 20, 2010.

Photos Jeff Zimmerman