According to Cal Fire Battalion Chief Dan Summerville, homeowners threw away fireplace ashes in a cardboard box, and stored it next to a wooden shed at least 24 hours before they ignited. It took crews about 15 minutes to get to the home in Cohasset once 911 was called, and when they got there, the barn was engulfed, and threatening the nearby home. They knocked out the flames, and kept them from spreading. Summerville says it's important to properly throw away fireplace ashes in a metal container, and spread them on the dirt far away from structures, because they can ignite days after being burned. No injuries were reported. The home sustained only minor damage.
