A BURNING BUSH

By Mona Raskin

Sunday, August 23^rd. at approximately 1.00 p.m., I was suddenly startled by a loud crackling sound, I immediately ran to the kitchen area believing the noise was coming from there.  Well, one look and it wasn’t here. I then checked the outside patio. Although, it was also okay, the crackling noise was growing louder. Checking the backyard was next. It was fine except the loud sound was getting worse. We looked over our chain-link fence and that’s when we spotted the crackling “burning bush” very close to the nursery below.

We immediately notified the Fire Department about the incident. They replied that fire-trucks were already on the way.. While awaiting their arrival which felt like 20 minutes or more, we noticed traffic was at a stand-still all along Potrero Grande. The incident occurred at 2015 Potrero Grande. When the first fire-truck, did arrive, we heard a bouncy castle for sale voice shouting that there was no water!  Within seconds, it seemed the fire  burnt itself out.

When I spoke to the Fire Department again the following day, I was told that it did not appear to be a case of arson but more likely accidental. Well , we are obviously experiencing a very dry spell. It won’t take much when the temperature is over a hundred to create a dry, brittle bush to burn. Never the less, we the public should be consciously aware that an outside barbecue can suddenly set off a spark or a passing motorist flip an ash from his cigarette.

In any event, a huge fire-storm raged throughout the San Gabriel Valley, as well as, other areas in California within the same month, It is very difficult to contain a fire. It may be a small  burning bush from the start but it won’t take long before it can spread into a huge fire inferno!