Free Republic

<p>A former college professor was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of setting fires near the massive Dixie Fire in Northern California, which has already destroyed over 500 homes and is nearing 500,000 acres, the second-worst in California history.</p><p>Gary Stephen Maynard, 47, is believed to have worked at a number of colleges in California, including Santa Clara University and Sonoma State University, where a Dr. Gary Maynard is listed as a lecturer in criminal justice studies specializing in criminal justice, cults and deviant behavior.</p>

Smoking weed is the newest worry for California firefighters as the state’s biggest wildfire races toward the nation’s biggest marijuana-producing region. The wildfire is headed for Post Mountain and Trinity Pines, two small communities northwest of Sacramento that lie in the heart of cannabis country. And many of the locals — up to 1,000 — are refusing to evacuate because they want to protect their pot. Law enforcement officials went knocking on doors, but can’t make anybody go, Trinity County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Nate Trujillo told the AP. “It’s mainly growers,” Trujillo said. “And a lot of them, they don’t...

Porter Ranch, Saddleridge fire. Fire coming from manholes. #CaliforniaFires Video: Matt Dejoy

Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-El Cajon) will be holding a “Tele-Town hall” teleconference at 10 a.m. Friday to assist San Diego County residents in fire recovery efforts. San Diego County residents are encouraged to participate in Friday’s conference. Interested persons can call 1-800-619-7414 and enter pass code 4208914 to participate. Representatives of several insurance companies will join Hunter on the call to provide information. At this time, questions and concerns regarding cleanup and recovery efforts will be addressed. Hunter’s district office will remain readily available for any other inquiries at 619-448-5201.

TECATE, CALIF. -- With flames encircling this remote border crossing east of San Diego, U.S. customs inspectors wasted no time evacuating. They closed the gate blocking the lanes into California, wrapped a chain around it and snapped on the lock. But not for long. Minutes later Sunday afternoon, someone cut the chain. The gate swung open. People began rushing through the unguarded crossing ... Since the Harris fire started, agents have arrested more than 200 migrants in the area, many after being smoked out of ravines and trails. Some may have started to cross before the blaze. But some probably...

<p>LOS ANGELES — City officials in San Bernardino, Calif., say the U.S. Fish and Wildlife agency's concerns about endangered species delayed a federally funded fire prevention program for seven years and led directly to the disastrous fires there in October.</p>

Shot this pic today while driving around the fringe of the burn area of the Old and Grand Prix fires near Devore California. This pic was taken at the intersection of Little League Drive and Myers Road on the border of Devore and San Bernardino. Fire got close to this intersection and did take some homes to the west of the sign down the road. According to a local gang types from San Bernardino were coming into the neighborhood breaking into homes vacated by the evac and that prompted the sign. Click HERE for a much larger high resolution version...