Forest Service investigators are seeking the public’s help in determining the cause of the Gap Fire. They have established a 24-hour call-in tip line at the Los Padres National Forest headquarters. The phone number is 805.961.5710.
The Gap Fire began in the late afternoon Tuesday, in the vicinity of Lizard’s Mouth on West Camino Cielo, about 4 miles west of Highway 154. Anyone who was in that general area at the time or has other information about the origin of the fire is urged to contact investigators on the tip line. Callers may remain anonymous.
Investigators are especially interested in the following:
» A description of any vehicles observed parked or traveling in the area, including make, model and color.
» A description of any people observed in the area including the number of people, a physical description and their approximate location.
» Any information from other sources about the possible origin of the fire.
“We don’t know at this point whether the Gap Fire was caused accidentally or was intentionally set,” Forest Service Special Agent Heather Campbell said. “The information the public provides could be crucial to our investigation into who is responsible.”
The Forest Service is conducting the investigation with the assistance of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
Joe Pasinato represents the Los Padres National Forest.