Nov. 28--The cause of the massive Clover Fire that destroyed dozens of homes and killed a man in Igo in September is still undetermined as fire investigators continue interviewing potential witnesses.
Gary Hankins, assistant fire chief for the Shasta-Trinity Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said the investigation is taking a while because there are so many people to interview who live within the more than 8,000-acre fire area.
"One of the things that takes so long is interviewing a lot of the people who are in that area, to find out who may have seen anything...trying to find all the residents, all these various roads, and talk to each one of them," he said today. "So it's a tedious task. It takes a long time."
The Clover Fire broke out Sept. 9 and quickly destroyed homes off Cloverdale and Gas Point Roads near Happy Valley and Igo. Firefighters contained it within a week, but not before it killed a man and destroyed more than 8,000 acres and 68 homes, as well as 128 outbuildings.
Cal Fire officials in the past have confirmed that rumors of arson have been going around since the fire started, but Hankins would not say whether investigators are leaning in that direction now.
Hankins also would not give information about the role a surveillance video provided to Cal Fire by the Clear Creek Community Services District may be playing in the investigation.
The camera was set up to watch out for water theft near a pump house next to two large water tanks at the intersection of Clear Creek Road and Cloverdale Road, close to where firefighters say the fire began.
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