Officials Relay Warning After Crystal Falls Fire
Sonora, CA — Tuolumne County Fire officials have determined the cause of a blaze that burned a vehicle and then spread to a home in the Crystal Falls area.
It was caused by hot ashes that were put into a flammable trash can. The fire happened at around 1:30pm on Thursday in the 21000 block of Crystal Lake Drive.
Tuolumne County Fire Department officials report, “Home heating-related fires are a leading cause of home fires and home fire deaths each year in the US.”
“Improperly disposed of ashes start many fires locally causing thousands of dollars of damage, sometimes destroying entire homes.”
Yesterday’s fire was caught quickly which limited the extension to the home.
Fire department officials add, “Allow ashes to cool before disposing of them. Place ashes in a tightly covered metal container and keep the ash container at least 10 feet away from the home and any other buildings. Never empty the ashes directly into a trash can. Pour water on the ashes.”
Agencies that responded to yesterday’s fire include Tuolumne County Fire, CAL Fire, Mi Wuk Sugar Pine Fire and Twain Harte Fire.
