Too Close to Home 6/25/07

Nation
Calif. Firefighters Gain on Lake Tahoe Blaze

NPR.org, June 26, 2007 · Firefighters have slowed a raging forest fire on Lake Tahoe's south shore that has destroyed more than 225 structures, and are closer to pinpointing the cause of the blaze.
Light winds Monday gave firefighters a badly needed jump on the inferno, and by late afternoon it was 40 percent contained, fire officials said. Residents whose houses were only moderately damaged will be allowed to return home Tuesday, and by Thursday authorities plan to begin escorting residents to destroyed homes.
The U.S. Forest Service and state fire agencies initially said they expected full containment of the blaze by Thursday, but they later changed that estimate to Sunday.
About 1,000 people have evacuated their homes and outbuildings while as many as 500 other houses remained threatened by the fire, which has consumed 2,500 acres, authorities said.
However, with the increasing success containing the fire, authorities said the threat against many of the homes has eased.
More than 1,000 residents packed a South Lake Tahoe middle school gymnasium Monday night and were told by fire officials that the blaze looks like it has stopped advancing. That said, authorities cautioned that strong winds forecast for later this week could fan the flames.
Federal and state investigators on Monday also isolated the fire's point of origin, said Kit Bailey, U.S. Forest Service chief for the Lake Tahoe basin. The blaze began about 300 yards to 400 yards south of Seneca Pond, an area popular with runners and teenagers in the summer.
The area has been cordoned off and investigators on Tuesday will begin searching for what might have sparked the blaze. Bailey said there are no indications that the fire was set intentionally. Fire officials have presumed the fire was started by humans because there were no lightning strikes in the area Sunday.
State officials declared a state of emergency, meaning California would cover all costs associated with fighting the fire.
From The Associated Press

Hello,

Thanks to all who have expressed concern about the fire here in South Lake. We're doing fine. Everything is going as planned. We're packed and ready to either evacuate, or head to the hospital and...evacuate. Baby Cohne is doing fine, (due Wednesday) and hopefully wants to wait a few more days before deciding to see beautiful Tahoe in ashes. Attached are some photos taken today 1/2 mile from our house, (one taken from our street - cell phone quality). As long as the fire doesn't jump over the road we're good. The latest news in encouraging, but this town does like to gamble. As you've heard, there are many here who have lost everything including some close workmates of ours. It is a sad state for Tahoe right now. But soon they'll be a beautiful new addition...we'll keep you posted.

Al

Family, Department of Corrections Mourn Loss of Officer
June 25th, 2007 @ 10:02pm
Mary Richards and Richard Piatt Reporting

The Department of Corrections is mourning the loss of a 22-year correction veteran, 60-year-old Stephen Anderson.
Anderson was following Department of Correction policy when he brought Allgier to the clinic today. Officer Anderson knew his job well; he'd been with the department for 22 years. He could have retired two years ago, after 20 years, and was reportedly thinking about how much longer he wanted to keep working.
Today's trip to the University of Utah Orthopaedics Center was more or less routine for officer Anderson. He was alone with Curtis Allgier the whole way. Allgier was wearing an orange prison inmate jumpsuit and handcuffs. At some point, for the MRI, the cuffs would have had to come off. That could have been when Anderson's fatal struggle with Allgier happened.

Dear Colleagues,

As you have likely heard by now, this morning a Utah corrections office was fatally shot by an inmate while escorting the prisoner into the University Orthopaedic Center on Wakara Way. The prisoner was there for medical treatment and, following the shooting, fled the scene in a hijacked car. A chase ensued and the inmate has been apprehended.

Fred Esplin
Vice President for Institutional Advancement The University of Utah

I always take Wasatch Blvd. when driving all to the JCC and then to my office - Always! Bizarre, today I was disoriented during my Foothill commute and for some reason at 8:30 turned on Wakara instead- we all noticed lots of T.V. camera's, police and security but didn't think anything of it - until the phone started ringing once I got to work. Too close to home.