[Editor’s note: The previous photo credit for the series of pictures of the Jesusita Fire’s earliest stages was incorrect.]
Fire investigators confirmed Sunday afternoon that the origin of the Jesusita Fire was on the Jesusita Trail, commonly accessed from the areas of San Roque or Tunnel roads. The location is in the Cathedral Peak area of upper San Roque Canyon, an area also known as Inspiration Point.
The cause of the fire appears to be related to the use of power tool equipment involved in vegetation clearance, fire officials said.
Fire investigators are requesting public assistance with identification of the individual or individuals engaged in vegetation clearance on Monday and Tuesday. The unidentified individuals are known to have been on the trail between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on both days, Santa Barbara County fire officials said.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Santa Barbara County Tip Line at 805.686.5061 or e-mail sbctip@sbcfire.com.
Click here for additional information from the InciWeb Incident Information System.
Click here for photojournalist Isaac Hernandez’s pictorial chronicle of the Jesusita Fire, including an unofficial, house by house, catalog of many streets in the burn area.
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Click here for running citizen reports from City2.0 or click here for additional information from sbparent.com.
If you have fire photos to share with Noozhawk, e-mail them to news@noozhawk.com. Click here for a related Noozhawk slide show from the first day of the Jesusita Fire. Click here for a Noozhawk slide show from the second day of the fire. Click here for a Noozhawk slide show from the third day. Click here for a Noozhawk slide show from the fourth day. Click here for a Noozhawk slide show from the fifth day.
— Noozhawk staff writer Laurie Jervis can be reached at ljervis@noozhawk.com.