Mexican Drug Cartel Activity May Have Caused California Wildfires

by Alyzee | August 19, 2009 at 11:33 am

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Investigations suggest that the week-long wildfire that spread over 88,650-acres in Southern California earlier this month may have been caused by Mexican drug cartel activity.

Arthur said an unspecified "cooking device" left at an encampment by suspected drug traffickers sparked the blaze on Aug. 8 that has scorched more than 137 square miles of brush and timber and briefly threatened two dozen ranches and homes.

About 30,000 marijuana plants were found near the fire's origin along with an AK-47 assault rifle. Authorities have not proved that the abandoned encampment was a Mexican one, but many are convinced by the quality and of plants and type of location to be similar to other Mexican cartel encampments they have found in the country.

About 6 illegal drug growers may have been staying at the camp in question. The pot plants, about 2-6 feet tall, were not destroyed in the fire, but removed and destroyed by authorities.

"The type of location, the remoteness, the situation of the encampment, the type of plants, the quality ... it fits the same M.O. (modus operandi) as all the others we've worked," around the nation,

As a result of fire crew efforts, the blaze was 75 percent contained yesterday, with most evacuees expected to return to their homes by Sunday, according to yahoo news.

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