Two Separate Fires Destroy an Abandoned Camp Trailer and Vehicle

Remnants of last night's camp trailer fire

Remnants of last night’s camp trailer fire on the Briceland Thorn Road [Photo provided by Briceland Fire]

“At approximately 10:09 p.m. last night Briceland Fire along with Cal Fire and Redway Fire were dispatched to an abandoned trailer on the BricelandThorn Road that had been set on fire,” Diana Totten, spokesperson for Briceland Fire said this morning. “Approximately 20 minutes later the same resources were called to another fire in the Briceland area on Old Briceland Road.”

Totten said that the second fire was an abandoned vehicle that appears to have been set on fire likely by the same person.

“There was minimal spread to the wildland,” Totten explained. “The fires were contained fairly quickly.”

The cause of the fires is still under investigation, she told us.

“[A]s we enter our fire season, fires like this can be quite devastating to our communities if they continue,” she worried. The flames can spread and devour nearby homes as the vegetation gets drier. Totten also worried that firefighters can be injured.

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49 Comments
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Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
6 years ago

This is largely caused (IMnsHO) by the County’s lack of timely removal of obviously abandoned vehicles!!! Among other things as well such as backwoods Pyros!!!

pitbull Victim
Guest
pitbull Victim
6 years ago
Reply to  Dan Fuller

This is largely caused by irresponsible people first the ones who abandon the vehicle and secondly the one who sets it ablaze. Its not the county’s job to clean up trash.

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
6 years ago
Reply to  pitbull Victim

Well said indeed, as well as absolutely correct!!!

Dragonfly
Guest
Dragonfly
6 years ago
Reply to  pitbull Victim

Actually, the law says abandoned vehicles are the responsibility of either the state or county, depending on where they are located.

yesmeagain
Guest
yesmeagain
6 years ago
Reply to  Dragonfly

so that means it’s OK to abandon them? And maybe OK to set them on fire, too? I’ll remember that next time I need to get rid of a car.

Pam Braham
Guest
Pam Braham
6 years ago
Reply to  Dragonfly

Actually they should not be abandoned in the first place.

onlooker
Guest
onlooker
6 years ago
Reply to  pitbull Victim

It’s not okay to abandon vehicles (or any trash). The county established the code enforcement unit to address issues like abandoned vehicles, and to abate trash and debris problems that were reported to the CEU as a nuisance, and to seek reimbursement for the cost of abatement whenever possible. The CEU has strayed considerably from its mandate and is currently expanding further in the wrong direction. But it is intended to respond to public complaints. How many of us call and complain about abandoned vehicles? For that matter, the proper agency to address the ongoing and worsening trash and horrible health conditions in the homeless camps is also the Code Enforcement Unit. But as long as citizens take the risk of trash and hazardoys material cleanup, the county appears to be more than happy to let them risk their own health and spend their own money doing the county’s job.

Cove-ite
Guest
Cove-ite
6 years ago

Bryson Thorn road? I like the sound of that. Let’s change the name

Brad
Guest
Brad
6 years ago

These vehicle fires have been going on for years along the Briceland road and Telegraph Ridge corridors. The arsonist is a mentally disturbed person who thinks the solution to abandoned vehicles is to try to push them into the ravines and creeks or torch them as some sort of twisted revenge on the county for not taking care of the eyesores to his satisfaction. He wastes scarce public and volunteer resources to respond to the fires, puts innocent lives at risk and risks causing catastrophic wildfires and property damage. All because the sight of abandoned vehicles pisses him off.

I have suggestions for three solutions to the issue: #1 vigorous prosecution of the people abandoning vehicles. They all have VIN numbers, so go after the owners who have not filed their liability releases when they dispose of the vehicles.

#2 Offer a reward for the arsonist. Arrest him, prosecute him, and give him a long probation with an ankle monitor requirement. I know, easier said than done, but he needs to be stopped before it gets out of hand.

#3 ask our state representatives to strengthen state laws to increase penalties for violators who dump their vehicles and charge them for the cleanup and disposal costs. Suspend their driving privileges and their other vehicle license renewals until the costs are fully paid.

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago
Reply to  Brad

It wouldn’t be that expensive or difficult to set up a sting operation either. High definition trail cams, fire extinguishers hidden nearby, tax paid servant to patrol through binoculars and high powered camera lenses, and a fast car to catch up to the culprit.

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago
Reply to  shak

But FIRST, the community needs to hold the county officials responsible for their diversions of tax payers money. The Redevelopment scheme is explained in this document. REDEVELOPMENT: THE UNKNOWN GOVERNMENT:
chrome-extension://bpmcpldpdmajfigpchkicefoigmkfalc/views/app.html

Chinacreek
Guest
Chinacreek
6 years ago
Reply to  Brad

I thought it was bad elves

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
6 years ago
Reply to  Brad

“The arsonist is……..as some sort of twisted revenge on the county for not taking care of the eyesores to his satisfaction.”

That is one interesting concept. I always assumed they did it because they just like seeing stuff burn.

Recall Estelle
Guest
Recall Estelle
6 years ago
Reply to  Brad

Prosecute someone who abandons a vehicle? That’s sounds like the perfect solution Mr. Blood Out Of A Turnip.

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
6 years ago
Reply to  Recall Estelle

Haha!!!!

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Recall Estelle

I think they were talking about catching the people who burn them

Trillium Hummingbird
Guest
Trillium Hummingbird
6 years ago
Reply to  Brad

Amazing suggestion in a County where no one cares to obey laws of any kind. Let’s use the few LEO’s we actually have to stop people from abandoning vehicles that were probably garbage or stolen to begin with when they were brought here. It’s a great way to dispose of things, just leave them by the road and then someone gets pissed and burns them. Fantastic…

We should really have a few other laws too, like confiscating the vehicles and licenses of persons driving aggressively or speeding on Briceland / Shelter Cove road. This is already one of the most dangerous places I can think of to travel to,
especially in summer. In fact, Shelter Cove is one of those places that thinking sober folks should just not go.

The burning of abandoned vehicles should be adequate warning to everyone: crazy fucking people live here, so be wary!

Spurious Truthyist
Guest
Spurious Truthyist
6 years ago

You nailed it Brad, however, what about stolen vehicles? It seems that as soon as they are discovered the VIN should be ran…..5 or so minutes of work!

Rusty
Guest
Rusty
6 years ago

Ez fix. Vehicles must be sold through licensed broker’s just like firearms. If it’s​ abandoned in your name you pay the tow and disposal fees plus fines. If it’s​ stolen you’d better report it as so, however your still under obligation to pay or your insurance is. The Douche Nozzles abandoning these vehicles could easily file a phoney release of liability saying they sold the vehicle to John Doe. The only way your going to stop this is with a paper trail to the person in the chain of ownership who did not follow procedure and charge them fines, fee’s and any crime’s that may have been committed.

Shawn Cherry
Guest
Shawn Cherry
6 years ago

Load them up and haul them to the dismantler. Clean up your own neighborhood, don’t bitch about someone else not doing it. Protect the quality of your neighborhood!!

AnonymousHumboldtian
Guest
AnonymousHumboldtian
6 years ago
Reply to  Shawn Cherry

I’m pretty sure you can’t scrap a car without the title.

Same old same old
Guest
Same old same old
6 years ago

Yes you can. For a fee the scrapper will take care of title paperwork.

Car Lover
Guest
Car Lover
6 years ago

John’s Autos tell me “No”. How can I do it?

Bilbo baggins
Guest
Bilbo baggins
6 years ago

Drove past that trailer last night, saw someone in a newish model Gray dodge ram sitting right next to it. Typical grow-dozer, lift kit,rack, aftermarket bumpers, light bar.

Big louie
Guest
Big louie
6 years ago

This trailer was abandoned at side of the Baptist church in redway the night of the kmud block party pictures were taken of the perps who did this so it should not be to hard to find the person who abandoned it on briceland rd i hope thay cach the fire bug’s

Life is Good
Guest
Life is Good
6 years ago

Bigfoot no like vehicle near his woods.

Honeydew Bridge C.H.U.M.P.
Guest
Honeydew Bridge C.H.U.M.P.
6 years ago

Old cars make decent septic tanks.

So many growers crap in creeks or just use open pit sewage flows.

They should recycle these old cars into septic tanks.

They could also be chained up to helicopters and used to smash down marijuana gardens in an effort to control ticks and crime.

Trillium Hummingbird
Guest
Trillium Hummingbird
6 years ago

I like the way you practically almost think. Greatest nonconstructive and incoherent ramblings ever! Septic tanks from abandoned cars! Wow!

PinkAsso
Guest
PinkAsso
6 years ago

sadly I am dealing with a VW camper van that was buried and used as a septic tank 10′ from a major creek. It is not easy or a fun job to remove. A car does NOT make a good septic.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  PinkAsso

Really? that’s gota be one of the dumbest things I heard all day, why would anyone think that would work? And who puts a septic 10′ from a creek! Disgusting

Honeydew Bridge C.H.U.M.P.
Guest
Honeydew Bridge C.H.U.M.P.
6 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Pot growers would put a septic tank ten feet from a creek.

There are many old cars used as septic tanks around Hayfork. It works well, is great recycling, and cheap to do.

As anyone who has a clue knows, don’t put a septic tank near a creek.

Don’t be drugged out of your mind while installing your old car septic tank, don’t be lazy, and do it right.

After you use the backhoe to install your septic- use the machine to bury a few marijuana gardens because marijuana plants attract ticks and crime.

Chump is out of line
Guest
Chump is out of line
6 years ago

Kym, get rid of this chump,half his comments suggest or request violent acts against people and property in Northern California,many of the farms here are in the process of going legal or have permits to allow what they are doing,some are small enough not to need them.Im sick of watching him post comments requesting violent acts against citizens and their property, enough is enough.

He goes too far
Guest
He goes too far
6 years ago

Well he’s also suggesting people go out and dig a hole with a back hoe and sink a car in the ground to defocate in,besides it being illegal to do so it’s morally and environmentally wrong,no mention of getting a permit to do it lol.Just my 2 cents but he’s not suggesting just eradication ,he’s suggesting violent destruction of ones property.Now if I was on here suggesting we smash police deptments with helicopters attacked to vehicles because there’s a few dirty cops my comments would likely be removed,just because there’s a few dirty growers doesn’t mean there should be violent acts suggested against all growers.Hes promoting and suggesting violence against people and their property

Bozo
Guest
Bozo
6 years ago

>”These vehicle fires have been going on for years along the Briceland road and Telegraph Ridge corridors. The arsonist is a mentally disturbed person who thinks the solution to abandoned vehicles…”

Well… in that case he/she must ‘get around’ NW California.

You can find abandoned burned out cars/trailers in Willow Creek, Ettersburg, Hayfork, Happy Camp, Samoa, Trinity Pines… etc etc.

Jayne Dough
Guest
Jayne Dough
6 years ago
Reply to  Bozo

You forgot to add the Carlotta Grange, abandoned cars…way too many to actually have “broken down” there! And..torched! So much toxic smoke per vehicle…

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
6 years ago
Reply to  Bozo

We haven’t had any abandoned vehicles torched in years thankfully, but for quite some time any vehicle around Swain’s Flat & Bridgeville including an RV, if it sat for much longer than a month it would be mysteriously set ablaze!!! Right where it sat, even if it was in the middle of a lot of trees to possibly catch fire it would still be torched!!! Thankfully we haven’t had any more torched in a while now!!! Bridgeville seems to be off the radar of the torch for now at least!!! We have had more abandoned vehicles of course, but no more torched luckily!!!

Memos
Guest
Memos
6 years ago
Reply to  Bozo

Lol, I highly doubt it’s one guy doing it, probably many that are sick of seeing the shit and know it will get cleaned up if lit on fire.They aren’t making a single effort to stop it or catch the perps so it’s not surprising at all that everyone’s got the memo.Its actually getting pretty efficient,only talking a few days now after they are abandoned.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago

And every other state. just ridiculous comments, really you want more government and money spent to track junk cars? There is already plenty of laws to take care of the issue, the problem is no one cares to enforce them.

Trillium Hummingbird
Guest
Trillium Hummingbird
6 years ago
Reply to  Guest

The problem is… ah forget it!

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago

Will do

MOGTX
Guest
6 years ago

ya there was s late model trans am burnt to a crisp, and a hi dollar expedition.

Shawn Cherry
Guest
Shawn Cherry
6 years ago

Oh yeah and by the way you can scrap a car without the title!

Shawn Cherry
Guest
Shawn Cherry
6 years ago

A crusher and 40′ semi will show up and load everyone of them. I bought a piece of property covered in abandon cars. After the 13th one was crushed and loaded we shook hands and he left. Never a single request for a title! Totally legit.

Shawn Cherry
Guest
Shawn Cherry
6 years ago

I didn’t show him the title to the land either.

The right way
Guest
The right way
6 years ago
Reply to  Shawn Cherry

Way to go shawn👍👍That’s how it should be done !

John Ripper
Guest
John Ripper
6 years ago

A teenager near here had an overactive libido and would light small fires and masturbate while he watched them burn. Never anything destructive and he was always careful they didn`t spread. Someone caught him — pants down — and explained he should find another outlet that didn`t involve combustion.