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| California wildfires: arson not to blame, investigators say | California wildfires: arson not to blame, investigators say |
| (3 days later) | |
| Investigators have ruled out arson as the cause of a huge southern California wildfire that was 75% contained Sunday after burning through coastal mountains and threatening thousands of homes. | Investigators have ruled out arson as the cause of a huge southern California wildfire that was 75% contained Sunday after burning through coastal mountains and threatening thousands of homes. |
| Cool, moist air significantly reduced fire activity and helped firefighters build containment lines around the 44-square-mile fire at the western end of the Santa Monica mountains. | Cool, moist air significantly reduced fire activity and helped firefighters build containment lines around the 44-square-mile fire at the western end of the Santa Monica mountains. |
| Officials expected full containment late Monday. | Officials expected full containment late Monday. |
| Investigators said the cause of the fire was not considered suspicious. Instead, they believed it was started by a small, "undetermined roadside ignition of grass and debris" on the edge of US 101 near Thousand Oaks, said Tom Piranio, a spokesman with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. | Investigators said the cause of the fire was not considered suspicious. Instead, they believed it was started by a small, "undetermined roadside ignition of grass and debris" on the edge of US 101 near Thousand Oaks, said Tom Piranio, a spokesman with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. |
| The area near an uphill incline is considered a collection point for fuel and ignition sources, and it's possible a piece of debris fell into the tinder-dry brush early Thursday and sparked the fire, Piranio said. | The area near an uphill incline is considered a collection point for fuel and ignition sources, and it's possible a piece of debris fell into the tinder-dry brush early Thursday and sparked the fire, Piranio said. |
| "The topography plus the hot, windy weather created a perfect storm for the fire to spread fast," he said. | "The topography plus the hot, windy weather created a perfect storm for the fire to spread fast," he said. |
| At its peak, the fire threatened some 4,000 homes as it moved through neighborhoods of Camarillo Springs and Thousand Oaks. It has caused damage to 15 homes. | At its peak, the fire threatened some 4,000 homes as it moved through neighborhoods of Camarillo Springs and Thousand Oaks. It has caused damage to 15 homes. |
| The blaze is one of more than 680 wildfires in the state so far this year — about 200 more than average. | The blaze is one of more than 680 wildfires in the state so far this year — about 200 more than average. |
| East of Los Angeles in Riverside County, a fire that burned 510 acres south of Banning was fully contained Sunday. | East of Los Angeles in Riverside County, a fire that burned 510 acres south of Banning was fully contained Sunday. |
| In northern California, a fire that has blackened 11 square miles of wilderness in Tehama County was a threat to a pair of commercial properties near the community of Butte Meadows, according to Cal Fire. | In northern California, a fire that has blackened 11 square miles of wilderness in Tehama County was a threat to a pair of commercial properties near the community of Butte Meadows, according to Cal Fire. |
| Thunderstorms were expected to bring erratic winds but little rain to the area about 200 miles north of San Francisco. | Thunderstorms were expected to bring erratic winds but little rain to the area about 200 miles north of San Francisco. |
| Nearly 1,300 firefighters were on the lines and the blaze, which started Wednesday, was 40% contained. | Nearly 1,300 firefighters were on the lines and the blaze, which started Wednesday, was 40% contained. |
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