firedude
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Yesterday (Saturday) in Calif on SR152 at Upper Cottonwood creek in Merced County a guy was towing a trailer and dragging his safety chains and started several fires along 152. A Cal Fire investigator was following him as he set more fires as he went. The officer was finally able to make a vehicle stop on the guy and cited him. A VERY expensive fine especially since it involved air tankers and such. He will most likely be cited for suppression costs which will likely amount to thousands of dollars.
It's fire season and it doesn't take much so just a heads up! When I had my TT I was very conscious of this being a former Cal Fire guy myself. I always worried about that so kept my chains high, but enough slack to work properly with no binding.
Tony
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FXSTOHIO
Ohio
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Must just be me but I can’t imagine anyone towing and dragging their safety chains, they shouldn’t be towing anything .
2008 Pilgrim Lite 21LRB
2004 Chevy Silverado Extended Cab 4x4 5.3 Tow Pkg 3.73
Yamaha EF2400IS
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firedude
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FXSTOHIO.... I hear ya, but you'd be surprised how often that happens.
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GWolfe
Kansas
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Just the noise of them dragging would be enough for me to pull over and do something about it. I'm with you Firedude I keep mine well off of the ground also.
Flagstaff 617SD 1991
Comet Camper 1963
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BarneyS
S.E. Lower Michigan
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Moved to TT forum from Hybrids.
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smkettner
Southern California
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Might be true but I have a hard time believing the few sparks from the chains could start several fires as he drove. Is there any article on this story?
2001 F150 SuperCrew
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
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firedude
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I got it from my intel report, but rest assured this happens quite often and more than you think. Low humidity, wind and high temps a rooster tail of sparks can do a lot. Hot brakes do the same thing.
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firedude
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SR152 at Upper Cottonwood creek in Merced County
MMU-8953
E71
WT75
E4271
Batt 17
AA460 inbound
Aircraft assigned:
AA460
T80
T81
H406
H106
Other units:
2 Engines from SCU
2 engines from BEU
2 crews from Bullion
1 dozer each from BEU and SCU
WT97
Working this one on Command 2/Tac7
Edit: E70 and E74 coming off a roadside veg along I-5 getting sent to this fire when watered up.
This was started by a vehicle pulling a trailer dragging the safety chains. There were 3 other starts by this vehicle, and an SCU Prevention Officer made a vehicle stop on the guy and cited him.
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firedude
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Ya know smkettner... I only posted this as a friendly public service reminder to us all. I do not post fictional stuff. Feel free to call Cal Fire at the Maripose/Merced/Madera (MMU) Cal Fire Unit and ask for Prevention and I'm quite sure one of the officers will tell you the same thing. (209) 966-3622)
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old guy
Oregon (pronounced Or e gun)
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in areas with dry grass or wheat fields there are always a hot wheel bearing or a blow out and the axle dragging that will start a fire. No reason to not believe that a dragging safety chain will not do the same thing. To many non believers out there, reminds me of a Missouri mule, and the show me state. Some times I feel you just have to hit some people up side the head two three times to get them to see any thing past the tip of their noses.
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