According to an Arcata Fire Protection District press release, Arcata firefighters responded to two “significant” fires at the same address, 1737 Laurel St.,  in Manila this past Sunday, June 19.

At 6:30 a.m., firefighters showed up to a 1,000-sq. ft. residence roaring in flames, but nonetheless well-concealed by the early morning fog lingering on Humboldt Bay.

Owner Robert Riley, who resides in another residence on the property, awakened to the crackling sound of the fire and discovered the building on fire. Riley called 911, then initiated a fire attack with a garden hose to no avail.

Eureka firefighters joined AFPD in suppressing the flames, but couldn’t save the building, which was rendered a total loss – Blue Lake and Fieldbrook  firefighters covered Arcata’s stations during the blaze.

AFPD described the fire as “stubborn. Extra cause for worry stemmed from the structure’s construction dating from the 1940s and “utilizing many reclaimed materials.” Firefighters expressed concern over the possibility of latent flare-ups, but upon inspecting the place later in the afternoon, found the fire to be out.

The story continued, however, when at 5:52 p.m., firefighters again responded to the same address – this time for a grass fire that could be seen from downtown Arcata with a smoke plume stretching from Manila across Humboldt bay to Murray Field. At hand was a quarter-acre grass involving a debris pile about 50 feet from the previously burned residence and an abandoned mobile home on the property.

Riley had rechecked the area for any signs of a rekindle at 5 p.m., then departed for shopping in Eureka. Upon return he saw the smoke while traversing the Samoa Bridge, arriving home to discover the second fire in the debris pile.

Again Riley called 911. Again, he initiated another fire attack with his garden hose. Again to no avail.

AFPD firefighters were joined by Eureka and Samoa firefighters to help extinguish the fire while Blue Lake and Fieldbrook firefighters once again covered Arcata’s stations, this time until 9 p.m.

The residence was utilized as a 215 marijuana grow operation and, although the original fire remains unsolved, the point of fire originated in the area of the building’s main electrical service.

The second fire appears to be the result of an ember escaping undetected from the first fire and smoldering in the debris pile for hours until the effects of the sun and wind kindled the fire.