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Chimney Fire threatens Hearst Castle

August 20, 2016

The Chimney fire has burned 15,439 and is currently threatening Hearst Castle. The fire is 35 percent contained.

Saturday morning tours of the castle have been canceled though the visitor center remains open. The fire is burning roughly three miles from the castle.

On Friday, castle staff began removing wood and clearing out access roads to act as fire breaks. If the fire danger increases, state parks staff is planning to move some of the historic art work from the castle.

Westward winds continue to move the fire to the west through rugged terrain. The fire has destroyed 46 structures and damaged seven other buildings. High temperatures and low humidity are expected to continue Saturday afternoon.

A total of 2,898 fire personnel are currently battling the blaze. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The fire started Saturday at southwest of Lake Nacimiento in the Running Deer Ranch area.


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The fire was started by a pickup parking on tall weeds….so any “investigation” might be into determining who caused it, not what caused it.


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Karma? Hearst Castle is the House Yellow Journalism Built. The Spanish American War was WR Hearst’s phony war built on sensationalistic lies in his newspapers.


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1) you would think HC has enough $ to clear brush, say, in advance of such a thing. Like, say, everyone else is supposed to do.

2) HC is just that, a castle. It’s not a mobile or a stick-built.


Sensational.


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You forget….it’s a state park. Remember, they ran our of money and had to shut down parks…they all of a sudden they found millions of dollars stashed in other accounts.

It’s another example of YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK.


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Uh, it is owned by the state of CA, so how competent are they and how much $ do they have?


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HC is a state park now, no longer funded by the Hearst empire.


While it is a lot of stone and concrete, much of it, and the out-buildings, are wood. Large fires have a tendency to destroy most anything if envelopes.


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Odd, “eastward winds” move the fire to the west. Who knew?


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More commonly know as Santa Ana winds..which DO blow from east to west and almost always bring lots accompanying heat.


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Only problem? Santa Ana winds are associated with southern Ca. It is condition that is aided by the Traverse Mountain range, that runs from Santa Barbara to inland.


Winds up here are just winds.


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Wow amazing how many people get offended by the truth. This isn’t my thinking, this is what I learned in a Cuesta-California Geology class. You people are helpless. Crack a book and get an education.


If you still are in doubt or just CAN’T understand it, go and query it. It happens from Baja Ca. to Southern Ca. Geez.


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Then it is a westward wind smh


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The investigation as to cause and origin continues.


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The fire is burning on private property, until it reaches the State Park. Who started this fire?


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