BTU Fire news: Vegetation, Structure, Ice Cream

Butte County-Cal Fire Battalion Chief Mike Brown
fights a blaze Tuesday in Oroville...See below

Playing with lighter leads to half-acre blaze
OROVILLE -- A juvenile playing with a lighter in an area of dry grass and trees started a vegetation fire Tuesday.
The fire, on property at the end of Valencia Circle, started just before 5 p.m. Cal Fire-Butte County firefighters responded to the fire, extinguishing it within minutes.
Firefighters kept the flames from spreading to nearby homes, though the fire scorched about a half-acre of grass.
Cal Fire-Butte County public information officer Joshpae White said the juvenile will receive counseling with fire officials, conducted through the Juvenile Fire Starter Program. "The program is designed to work with young people in order to deter fire starters," White said. He said the incident emphasizes the danger of lighters when in the hands of youth. "As always, lighters and matches are not toys," White said.

Source: chicoer.com - Article -
Original Photo source

-----------------------------------------------

Fire destroys Thermalito living room

THERMALITO -- A fire sparked from a fireplace destroyed the living room of a Harlan Avenue home early Monday morning, though firefighters were able to keep flames from destroying the entire structure.

At 4:43 a.m., Cal Fire-Butte County firefighters responded to the home at 932 Harlan Ave.

A woman and her two children had been in the home sleeping and had a fire in their fireplace, located in the home's living room. The woman was awakened by the sound of fire crackling, saw the room succumbing to flames and fled out of a bedroom window with her children before calling 9-1-1.

Cal Fire-Butte County public information officer Joshpae White said when firefighters arrived at the home, the living room was "well-involved" with flames, and was so hot that the paint on the walls was bubbling.

Despite the intense nature of the fire, firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the living room and spare the structure.

"Unfortunately, there is a lot of damage from smoke in the house but the structure itself was saved," White said.

White said the fire was a prime example of the need for increased awareness of household fire danger.

"We're in the thick of fire prevention week and the focus is household fire safety," White said. "With that in mind, I would like to encourage everyone to use extreme caution when an open flame is in their home."

Rest of article at: http://www.chicoer.com - Article

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Brown to buy Ice cream for the whole Unit after funny photo appears Online.

In this editors opinion Cal Fire Battalion Chief Mike Brown is one of the best of the best wildland fire fighting commanders in California and after seeing photo of BTU Battalion Chief Brown online I was curious as to what he was doing...I first thought he might of been actually throwing fusses or using a drip torch and maybe he was...but I will let the Blown up section speak for itself, This was not modified in any way other than enlargement and cropping. Mike I had to publish this one it's time to go to Baskin-Robbins with a credit card...





Battalion Chief Mike Brown takes a hands on approach to fire fighting