WAY BACK WHEN - 100 Years Ago Today - On August 27, 1918, the local paper ran the headline, "Fined for Leaving Campfire Burning." Smokey the Bear was not around yet, but the widespread forest fires of 1917 in Ojai and Carpinteria had made the Forest Service more cautious. The culprit left a campfire burning and was fined $50. It was the first conviction under the new rule requiring all fires to be extinguished when the campers leave. The paper warned, "The forest service and the county fire warden intend to prosecute all cases that come under their observation." (There's more about those fires in Way Back When: Santa Barbara in 1917.)
On Tuesday, December 11, I'll be presenting a slideshow about the 1917 fires in Ojai and Carpinteria and comparing them to the Thomas Fire. At the Ventura History Museum, 1 p.m.