Huge Santa Barbara County wildfire caused by marijuana farm by Magdalena Rosova

Huge wildfire which consumed more than 88,650-acres in northern Santa Barbara County was caused by marijuana growers with ties to Mexican drug cartels. Investigators said Tuesday they found some kind of cooking device at the place where drug traffickers used to stay. Investigators believe that device caused the fire which quickly spread throughout the region and threatened more than twenty ranches and homes. Close to the origin of the blaze, in Los Padres National Forest, investigators found approximately 33,000 marijuana plants and an AK-47 assault rifle. U.S. Forest Service Special Agent Russ Arthur noted that drug traffickers are growing problem. Firemen fortunately managed to progressed and on Tuesday 75 percent of the fire was contained. The fire burned more than 7,100 acres and forced about 2,200 people evacuate from their homes. In the Sierra Nevada foothills a wildfire consumed nearly 3,500 acres and destroyed two homes. Today, 30 percent is contained. It ! is the first time drug traffickers caused wildfire in the Santa Barbara County, although in California they usually cause smaller blazes two or three times in the year. According to investigators the number of marijuana farms in the United States kept rising. Bob Brown, Sheriff in Santa Barbara County said that usually such types of marijuana grows are organized by traffickers from Mexico. The profits from the sales of the marijuana grows are used to support the violence south of the border. Just for illustration, in the past five months investigators found In Santa Barbara County more than 225,000 marijuana plants. Street value of the plants is about $675 million.

related story: http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20090818/NEWS01/90818022/Suspects+who+sparked+Santa+Barbara+fire+may+be+linked+to+M! exican+drug+cartels+

by Magdalena Rosova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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