LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Tuesday fire on Lakeport Fire Protection District property is believed to have been a case of arson.
The fire was reported at about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday on Larrecou Lane just down the street from the Lakeport Senior Center.
Lakeport Fire Chief Ken Wells responded along with three of his department's engines. Kelseyville Fire Chief Mike Stone and one engine from his agency responded on mutual aid, Wells said.
Lakeport Police Sgt. Jason Ferguson also was at the scene, blocking Larrecou so motorists didn’t stray into the area where the fire was burning.
Radio reports indicated the fire was contained just after 5:30 p.m.
Wells told Lake County News that the fire burned up to half an acre on the four and a half acre property, which the district owns and uses as a training area.
A burn box, a structure used for fire training, is located there, he said.
Wells said that the burn box recently had been tagged with graffiti, and earlier on Tuesday Lakeport Fire staff went out to paint over the tagging.
There was nothing on the property that could independently start a fire, Wells said. He thinks the fire was intentionally set by whoever was responsible for the graffiti as retaliation for it being painted over.
“I honestly think it was a malicious act,” said Wells.
He said pallets on the property were set on fire, which then ignited the grass.
There was no injuries and no serious damage to the property.
“Now we've just got a really big mess to clean up,” Wells said.
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