“In the next ten years, one of the things you’re bound to hear is that animal protein … is one of the most toxic nutrients of all that can be considered.”

— T. Colin Campbell, director of the Cornell-China-Oxford Project on Nutrition, Health, and the Environment

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When it comes to diet, humans are usually considered to be omnivores, that is, we’ll eat anything. Almost anything, even mushrooms (some, only once!). In particular, we’re opportunistic carnivores, as opposed to our distant ancestors who survived, as the great apes still do, on plant food: fruit, nuts, leaves, shoots and roots. If meat is there for the taking, we’ll take it.

Most people will, anyway. I’ve been told (as I tuck into my soy burger) that meat eating is natural, it’s in our genes, we were born to crave a juicy steak or a 1200-calorie Wendy’s Big Bacon Triple. But truth is, meat eating is culturally mediated, and it doesn’t take an anatomist to figure out that, as carnivores go, we’re pretty sad specimens. In fact, we’re really herbivores. Consider, for instance:

• Real carnivores have large canine teeth and sharp claws, perfect for killing prey and tearing flesh off. We have dainty fingernails and small canine teeth.
• Carnivores can’t move their jaws from side to side, as herbivores do—watch a cow chewing, or think about our large, flat, back molars, just the ticket for grinding fibrous plants.
• Carnivores make up for their inability to chew by swallowing chunks of flesh whole; what would probably pass for battery acid in their stomachs does the rest. We herbivores have much less acidic stomach juices, good to digest chewed fruit, for instance, not so good for unmasticated meat.
• Humans’ intestinal tracts are long, between 20 and 30 feet long: good to break down and absorb the nutrients from plant matter but bad for meat to pass through, since the bacteria in meat can multiply and cause food poisoning during the long trip from stomach to rectum. Carnivores have much shorter intestines than herbivores.

If our Homo erectus ancestors hadn’t figured out how to start and control fire a million or so years ago, we’d still be chewing plant-stuff. Fire made all the difference: cooking meat pre-digests it, since heating denatures protein (i.e. breaks molecular bonds). See here.

Until a hundred or so years ago, before factory farming came into its own, poor folks raised meat and, for the most part, only rich folks ate it. (It’s no coincidence that following the Norman conquest of England, the Anglo-Saxon words for animals — cows, sheep, pigs — were subsumed by the words used by their Frenchified overlords for cooked meat: boeuf, mouton and porc.)

Today, Americans eat meat by the bucketful, on average over 200 pounds per person annually, with all the consequential health problems. Meat eaters have a greater incidence of heart disease, strokes, diabetes and obesity than non-meat eaters. (Correlation isn’t causation, but still…) Oh, and each pound of meat uses about 2,000 gallons of water to get it to the table.

Summing up, meat isn’t essential to good health and is probably harmful. (Protein comes in many non-meat forms, and B12, the only essential vitamin coming exclusively from animal sources, is found in fish and eggs — and supplements.) Our bodies aren’t designed to eat meat; instead, we’ve adapted to it. 

If any of this strikes a chord, check out the Good Food Institute, a nonprofit think tank working to accelerate the production of “alternative protein,” i.e. meat, indistinguishable from the real thing, made from plants or cultivated from cells.

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Press release from the Humboldt Library Foundation:

The Humboldt Library Foundation (HLF) today presented the Humboldt County Library system with over $100,000 in grants to purchase new books, ebooks, graphic novels, and continued access to language learning resources.

“On behalf of the library staff I want to thank the Humboldt Library Foundation for their generosity and commitment to providing dynamic and relevant resources to the library community,” said Library Director Chris Cooper. “Readers of all ages will be grateful for the vibrant expansion of the graphic novel collection.”

Board President Elizabeth Murguia said, “These annual contributions continue to be pivotal to our local Library system and it’s all thanks to our generous donors. We continue to be amazed by the level of support we receive from the community as we work to keep the library open and relevant for years to come.”

This grant funding includes re-envisioning the Library’s graphic novel and manga collection with the opening of a dedicated section to the genre and an expansion of new materials. Once the domain of superhero comic books and newspaper dailies, comics have become their own legitimate format, winning Caldecotts, Newberys, Coretta Scott King Awards, Hugo Awards, and even Pulitzer Prizes. This new expansion is another example of the library remaining responsive and relevant to patrons old and new. Subscriptions to Mango Languages will also be supported for another year with this funding, in addition to a significant physical and ebook expansion.

“The Foundation’s support is vital to our Library collection, providing up-to-date, useful, and popular books & AV,” said Acquisitions and Technical Services Manager Michael Logan. “This year, we’re especially thrilled to give “graphic narratives” (comics, manga, graphic novels/nonfiction, etc.) their own separate and unique section. The Foundation’s generous support guarantees a huge new infusion of titles to inaugurate what’s sure to be an extremely popular collection. This is huge, and it wouldn’t have happened without the HLF.”

HLF was formed in 1996 to build financial support for the Humboldt County Library system, which includes the Main Library in Eureka, ten branches and a bookmobile that serves fourteen rural communities.  HLF raises funds in the community and makes direct annual grants to the library to help purchase new materials, add programming and provide technology upgrades. Since its inception, HLF has provided over $1.4 million in grants to the library. 

Donations of any size are welcome.  If you wish to create a donor-advised fund or want more information on the Humboldt Library Foundation and how you can give, visit our website www.humboldtlibraryfoundation.org, ‘like’ us on Facebook, or call the HLF office at (707) 269-1991.

This week, Cal Poly Humboldt Assistant Professor Jennifer Marlow and Graduate Research Assistant Alec Brown join Jen Kalt of Humboldt Waterkeeper to talk about the 44 Feet Project, which is focused on the future risk of climate and coastal hazards to Humboldt Bay’s spent nuclear fuel site above the town of King Salmon. The first privately-owned nuclear plant in the U.S, the Humboldt Bay Power Plant produced electricity from 1963 to 1976, leaving 37 tons of spent nuclear fuel to be stored indefinitely 115 feet from the edge of an eroding bluff just 44 feet above current sea level.

Two recent developments will be of particular interest to residents of King Salmon and other Humboldt Bay communities. In June, the Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury made recommendations for improving disaster planning and emergency preparedness in response to “any Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation-related emergencies.” In September, the California Public Utilities Commission recently issued a Final Decision in which PG&E agreed to update the tsunami hazard assessment for the spent fuel storage site.

For more info:

• The climate threat to California’s stored nuclear waste - Yale Climate Connections, Oct. 2023
• Spent nuclear fuel sits on a crumbling California coastline. So what to do? - Boyce Upholt, California Sea Grant News, July 2023.
• Humboldt County Emergency Preparedness: Ready or Not? - Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury Report, June 2023
• 44 Feet Project website

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Most folks who have lived in Humboldt for a long time are well aware that we live in mountain lion territory and probably even know what to do if you encounter one. But for those who are new to the area or maybe not familiar with how to properly deal with these large cats, Ian Keith – a human-wildlife conflict biologist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) – would like to offer you some tips to help protect your pets, livestock and yourself when a mountain lion is about. 

Keith reached out to the Outpost to offer his expertise after a mountain lion was recently spotted at the Fortuna Sunrise Cemetery. This particular sighting is what Keith referred to as a “no harm, no foul situation,” where there is a confirmed sighting, but no reports of the animal causing any depredation, such as killing pets or livestock or attacking a human, or any concerns that the animal may be injured or unwell. In this type of case, there is no need for the CDFW to respond to the sighting. “But it is good for people to be aware and be reminded that maybe [they] shouldn’t let their small dog or small pet outside without being there,” he said. 

Mountain lions, also called pumas or cougars, inhabit more than half of California. But because they are generally solitary, elusive animals, they generally avoid humans and coming into contact with one is pretty rare. There has been an uptick in reported sightings over the last few years, but Keith said that’s likely because of improved technology, such as more people having cameras and motion sensors, and not because there are more of the animals. 

Map showing mountain lion habitat area in California

But even though mountain lions don’t prefer coming into town, where there is a lot more noise, light and people than out in the woods, it does happen. There are a few factors that can lead to a cougar ending up in your backyard, Keith said, including the lion being young and an inexperienced hunter, or that the lions get pushed out of their usual territory because of natural factors like wildfires. But the most common reason is because they’re hunting deer and, as a predator, they go where their prey goes. The fall and spring are migrating seasons for some deer, which could also contribute to more mountain lion sightings during those seasons, Keith said.  

Though their preferred prey is deer, mountain lions will eat the occasional small prey, such as rats, raccoons, or people’s pets or livestock, if given the opportunity. For this reason, the best way to prevent mountain lions from causing trouble is to not leave out your tasty-looking animals to entice them. 

“Most of the [mountain lion] depredation cases that I see are goats and sheep that don’t have any protective measures in place,” Keith said. 

Keith recommends putting your livestock away in some sort of enclosure – like a coop or a barn – and bringing your pets inside at night. Fences are also an option, but they have to be tall, strong and away from trees, since lions can jump, climb and even manipulate wire fences with their claws. Another good option for livestock protection is getting a trained guardian dog, which can scare the mountain lion away. 

Another way to deter mountain lions is by using noise or visual elements, such as alarms or motion sensor lights. For people who live near wooded areas, Keith recommends removing the understory – the trees and shrubs between the forest floor and tree canopy – to eliminate places for the mountain lion to hide. This will make your area less attractive to a mountain lion, as they like to stay covered when they are hunting. 

And it probably goes without saying, but you should never approach or harass a mountain lion. In fact, it is illegal to harass mountain lions, as they are treated as a protected species in California. It is, however, legal to kill a mountain lion on your property if it is causing harm to you, your animals or your property. But you must report it immediately to the CDFW. 

Screenshot of a mountain lion captured on someone’s security camera in 2021 | LoCO file image

If you happen to run into a mountain lion right out in the open, you should try to make yourself look bigger by holding your arms or an object over your head. You should make lots of noise and can even throw objects if there are any handy to distract or scare the animal. You should NOT ever turn your back on the animal or try to run away. This might make you seem like prey and trigger the cat’s desire to chase you. And you are not fast enough to outrun a mountain lion!

Mountain lion attacks on humans are very rare, but when it does happen, it is usually because the animal mistakes the human for prey. Again, it helps to make yourself seem big and be loud to scare it away and wearing bright colors can also help distinguish you from animal prey. Mountain lions do most of their hunting at dusk and dawn, so you want to be particularly cautious during these times of day. If you like to jog in the woods, Keith also recommends not wearing headphones or earbuds so that you’re more aware of your surroundings. And if your favorite activity is jogging at dusk in a deer costume, you should probably stop doing that. 

But there is no need to be scared of mountain lions as long as you stay vigilant.

“People should just assume there’s mountain lions around because we live in Humboldt,” Keith said. “They’re around a lot more than people think. But if they were really that dangerous to people, we would have a lot more calls.” 

If you would like more information, you can check out this document Keith shared with the Outpost, ”Preventing Conflict With Mountain Lions in California.” You can also visit the CDFW Human-Wildlife Conflicts Program’s website for information on what to do when you encounter mountain lions and other local wildlife, including coyotes, bears, bats and raccoons. 

I grew up on the East Coast near former Revolutionary and Civil War battlefields, so old cannons were everywhere and not much of a novelty. In their original setting, bristling from a fort or looming over a strategic inlet, they convey an image of strength, but mostly they’re just obsolete iron tubes.

When I first saw the cannon in Arcata, in front of the Veteran’s Hall at 14th and J Streets, I was impressed with its graceful, long, lean lines, and also by the fact that some of the gadgetry for it to aim and fire remained. I wondered where it came from, and why is it here? Asking around, I heard two things from various people: that it was a captured World War II Japanese cannon, and that it had once been hauled up to Humboldt State University by mischievous students. I was curious to know more, and I was also concerned about the deterioration of its wooden spokes and wheel rims due to Humboldt’s wet climate.

I had an old house to restore, another to build, and more projects soon followed, but the gun stayed in the back of my mind. Not that I have any special affinity for cannons, but that particular one seemed worth saving. The steel would never rust away, but if its wheels rotted, much of its historic fabric would disappear. It wasn’t until recently that I had time to think about Humboldt’s largest gun again.

The author presents an artillery shell casing from a cannon of a similar size to the Arcata cannon. Photo: Bob Felter, via the Humboldt Historian

A new visit to the cannon revealed more rot in the wheels than I remembered, and I was determined to soak the wood with preservative. It wasn’t mine, however, and I wanted to get permission from whoever was in charge. In finding this person, I also hoped to learn the gun’s history. I mentioned this to native Humboldter Winnie Trump at a breakfast and she pointed to Al Toste, saying, “There’s the man to talk with.” Al said he’d bring the rot issue up at an American Legion meeting, and that the one person who’d know the history was Marino Sichi. “You should see him soon though — he’s in Timber Ridge Senior Center and his days are numbered.”

That was on a Friday. Sunday afternoon I went to Timber Ridge and asked to see Marino. I explained my presence, and despite some reluctance, the receptionist led me back to the nurse’s station. As tears came to her eyes, the nurse stammered, “Marino passed away this morning.” I think everyone who knew him loved him.

I persisted in my quest and made a call to Alan Baker, the Commander of the VFW/American Legion Hall, and he connected me with Ben Curtis, an active member of the Legion. I explained my concern about the rot and during our conversation it emerged that children loved to climb on the cannon, and that a real tragedy could occur if it were to collapse. Ben brought the issue up at the next American Legion meeting and it was decided they needed to do something. As he said, “We can’t let it go under our watch.”

The Legionnaires jacked the cannon up and placed a welded support underneath; I then got the okay to paint on preservative. Laws have affected what is available in California, and what’s in the stores now has only 9% copper naphthenate, is water based, and colored green. This contrasts with what was on the shelf two years ago, which was solvent based, came in green, brown or clear, and contained three times the amount of the same active ingredient. I didn’t want to use a green color on historic wheels, nor one that would leach out in our winter rains. Coincidentally, while on a job at this time, I came across an old, almost full gallon can of clear “good stuff ” and made a trade with its owner.

Now it was time to learn about the cannon. Linda DeLong, a researcher at the Humboldt County Historical Society, said that she also had once looked into it but found nothing. A stop at Arcata’s library also came up dry, and HSU’s Humboldt Room was closed for the holidays. I next thought about the old Arcata Union: they must have printed at least a mention when the cannon arrived in town. An email to local historian Susie Van Kirk, who is said to know “everything” historical about Arcata, revealed that she’d been through every issue of the Union since 1940, and had never seen anything.

Ben Curtis mentioned another possible source of information, a man named Virgil Freeman, who had left the area. So I made another call to Alan Baker, who provided the phone number of Virgil, who now lives in Fremont. Virgil had been in the VFW Post for decades and was a past Commander of the VFW/ American Legion Hall. Born in 1920, he spent forty months in the Pacific theater during World War II as a code clerk, sending and deciphering communications. He joined the lodge about 1955, when the cannon was already there, but knew some of its history. It’s likely he represented my last chance to learn about the cannon by word of mouth.

Virgil explained that before the war, a small cannon had sat on the Veteran’s Hall lawn. As hostilities overseas grew, the government called for scrap metal and the cannon was sent to the smelter. Much of America’s history met a similar fate. Perhaps the government remembered, or was reminded, of Arcata’s contribution, because after the war, said Virgil, they sent Arcata a replacement. But in an era when P-51 Mustangs and B-17 bombers were being left behind or pushed off the decks of ships as they crossed the ocean, why would an old iron relic such as this have come to the States? Virgil replied that the ships returning home after the war needed ballast. Anything heavy they could find was set down in the holds to keep the ships upright, and that a cannon would do a fine job of that. Arcata’s new cannon arrived in the port of Richmond, and came north on the Northwestern Pacific Railroad at a cost of $17. Virgil thought the bill of lading was somewhere in the VFW Hall. The gun was offloaded in Arcata at the old California Barrel Factory, and towed up to the Hall. Originally, a flagpole was there, and the gun sat to the north of the sidewalk, but it was later moved to the south side to allow for a wheelchair ramp. They set bolts in the slab for tie-downs, but never used them.

A significant clue about the cannon was right on the barrel: four lines of mostly Asian writing above the breech. I wondered whom I could find to translate, then remembered a distant cousin who has a son in Japan. Lee said indeed, his son Matt speaks fluent Japanese, and supplied his email address. I shot off a couple photos of the inscriptions to Matt with a plea for help and a day later I learned more than I ever expected. The top line says it’s a Model 92, 10 cm (4”) cannon. The third line, below the No 136, says it was made by the Osaka Infantry Armory, and the bottom line tells us it was built in 1941. He went on the Internet and found a link to the armory where the gun was built and another link to the gun itself. All is in Japanese, which I can’t read, but the page showed a picture of an identical gun. Matt deciphered, “The series was first built in 1923 but was redesigned several times until its birth as a Model 92 in 1935. It was valued for its portability, but considered a bit lacking in power.”

I had to laugh about “valued for its portability,” thinking back to the rumor of its once having been moved up to the HSU campus. The stories I’d heard were that Jim Ely never admitted to being part of that prank, but that he had returned it. While that sounds suspicious, Jim was the sort of guy who might have brought such a thing back regardless, so who’s to accuse? I considered Jim a friend, but he passed away before I thought to ask about it. A call to his sister, Mary Ann, however, led to a phone number for one of his best friends, Norm Eaton, who now lives in North Carolina.

Norm said that he had never admitted to taking the cannon either. A bit of prodding eventually led to a story. Other than Jim, Norm couldn’t recall who else was involved, nor who had the idea, but one night in 1956 at around 3:00 in the morning, about four guys hitched the cannon up behind Norm’s ’46 Plymouth.

“I didn’t have a trailer hitch or anything,” said Norm, I think we just tied it to the bumper or somewhere with some rope. We had to drive up the old way to Founder’s Hall, and somehow we got it up on the sidewalk below the front doors with it aimed out over the town. Things were pretty quiet in those days, but there were streetlights and we couldn’t believe nobody saw us.

I asked Norm if what he’d revealed could be mentioned publicly. “Yes, go ahead,” he said, “I don’t think they’ll be coming after us, now.” When I forwarded the story to Virgil, he recalled, “Yes, people used to say the gun should be turned a little and aimed toward City Hall.”

Virgil mentioned another story that supposedly took place about 1955. The Sheriff ’s Department had a call from a citizen that a cannon was being towed up Highway 101. Officers finally caught up with the cannon up to the campus and chained it to the vehicle in Orick, and made the culprits bring it back. After those incidents, he said they used a long pipe wrench and locked the brakes tightly, which are probably rusted together by now. Later, a museum in Oregon persistently tried to purchase the cannon, but the Legion wouldn’t let it go.

My original quest to talk to Marino wasn’t in vain. I contacted his daughter, Janet Kelly, to learn if she had come across any information in his estate. I commend her for the time she put into digging through the papers of a man who, I was told, “never threw anything away.” A couple of days later she called back to say she had found some information.

Indeed, Marino had contacted the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco in 1995 and the Vice Consul, Koji Tsuchiya, had replied with information that confirms what I’d learned:

The Model 92 is readily recognized by its long slender barrel and tail (the entire gun is 27’ long, the barrel almost 16’), and it has been designed for long-range fire. Other distinctive features are the pronounced length of the sleigh and the three step interrupted thread breechblock. The recoil system is hydro-pneumatic. Mounted on heavily constructed wooden wheels with solid rubber tires, the weapon is normally tractor drawn but may be drawn by a 5-ton truck. It is capable of firing a high explosive (long pointed shell), chemical or armor piercing projectile. Time fuses are provided for the smoke, incendiary, and chemical shells. Total weight is 3,730 KG (8,206 lbs). In addition to the barrel being able to tilt upward to 45 degrees and downward 5 degrees, it could swing 36 degrees (right or left).

Additionally, the cannon had a range of about 18 km — something like 11 miles: Hello, Humboldt Hill! Greetings, Westhaven! — and the weight of a typical shell was 15.76 kg, or close to 35 lbs.

Arcata’s cannon: a view of the firing gagetry. Photo: Winnie Trump, via the Humboldt Historian.  

The Vice Consul must have contacted a fellow countryman, because a second letter from a Syogo Hattori, History Division, National Institute for Defense Studies, arrived in Marino’s mail several months later from Tokyo. It contained identical information, but added that because “the position of the center of gravity was considered, these cannons were towed by automobiles.” In addition, Mr. Hattori said, “Many type 92 cannons were used by the Japanese Army in WWII, including the Battle of Bataan, Philippines.” He did not know exactly where our serial No 136 was used during the war.

One question still lingered in my mind. Why is the second line on the breech, the “No 136,” in English? Earlier, one bit of false information had sidetracked me into thinking the cannon was actually British, supplied to British-held Singapore, then captured by the Japanese when they invaded China. The last line, the date of manufacture, is in Japanese — why use both systems of numbering? I decided to email Matt in Japan again. He replied,

As for the numbers on the cannon, after the Meiji Restoration in the 1860s, lots of ideas and technology from the West were actively sought out and imported. It was during this time that Arabic numerals made their way here. Even so, they didn’t completely replace kanji (Chinese writing system adapted to Japanese) numbering, which is still used today alongside Arabic numerals.

One facet I did not research is the stenciling in durable red ink on the breech close to the Japanese engraving. I can only guess the Z2 FMAR 198 was put there by our government to identify the artifact as it was requisitioned or entered our country. I felt I’d learned enough, though, and can let that question lie.

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The story above was originally printed in the Winter 2012 issue of the Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society. It is reprinted here with permission. The Humboldt County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization devoted to archiving, preserving and sharing Humboldt County’s rich history. You can become a member and receive a year’s worth of new issues of The Humboldt Historian at this link.

Our Sweet William, Ellis William Campbell, Jr (Bill), passed away on September 17, 2023. Born in Eureka on January 15, 1940, Bill was the oldest of 4 siblings. Bill spent most of his life in Weott. As a child he attended the one room school house in Weott. He spent hours with his horse and dog hunting in the mountains across from Weott before the freeway was completed. He often spoke of proudly parading through town with his dog and a buck on his horses back. He enjoyed spending summers at his Aunt Florence and Uncle Nick’s house in Hayfork. He was proud to be an Eagle Scout and represent the Weott district.

Bill graduated from South Fork High School in 1958. While attending high school he played basketball and liked studying forestry. In order to be able to play basketball, Bill would start working as a junior in high school and he would continue to work hard for most of his adult life.

Because he worked so hard, Bill was able to buy his GTO in 1964. He would drive his GTO through Myers Flat, eventually catching the eye of his future wife, Patricia Caples. This love affair would last 57 years as Bill and Pat were married a short 6 months later, on March 7, 1965. The first of 3 daughters would be born on March 27, 1966.

Bill worked in the logging industry. He fell timber with both his father and his father in law. He would later run heavy equipment, loading logging trucks and working on the docks in Fields Landing loading the large cargo ships. Bill would later go on to operate large cats, doing restorative work in the National Forest in Orick.

Bill enjoyed the outdoors. He liked to hunt and fish; always taking his family with him. Hunting trips became camping trips where a lot of good memories were made with friends and family. He liked to take his family trout fishing, never complaining about spending the day untangling his daughter’s fishing lines or chasing down the trout that was excitedly caught and ended up in the brush.

Once Bill retired, he and his wife enjoyed traveling throughout the midwest. He would return to Tombstone, Arizona many times as it was one of his favorite places to see. Bill also enjoyed gardening in his retirement years. He enjoyed growing too many tomatoes and sharing them with family and friends.

Bill was a proud father of three daughters. He would often joke that he never had any time in the bathroom but he loved his daughters dearly. He spent time with them and was always there to help in any way that he could.

Bill was blessed with four grandchildren. He created many memories with them and was a solid example of a hard working, patient man. He spent time reading his grandsons the Sunday morning comics and spent nights “camping out” in the back of a pick up truck in the front yard. He would proudly attend their school and sporting events, supporting them and cheering them on. Bill enjoyed swapping timber falling stories with his grandsons and disputing what the best brand of saw is. He would travel many miles to spend time with his granddaughters. He enjoyed attending their extracurricular activities and being able to spend time with them while visiting the Bay Area. He would share stories of his grandkids and he was proud of them.

Bill is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Patricia; daughters Roberta, Carolee and Theresa; granddaughters Brooke and Breanna Fong and grandsons Justin and Reed Lang. He is also survived by his sister in law and very good friend, Christie Liening.

Bill was a kind and gentle soul and he will be dearly missed by his family. A celebration of life will be held at Milligan Hall in Weott on Nov. 11 from 1 p.m.-4 p.m.

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It’s right there in the handbook: candles, barbecues and other such incendiary products are not allowed in the dorms at Cal Poly Humboldt. 

Alas, on Wednesday, a resident of the on-campus College Creek Apartments demonstrated why that rule is in place. They lit a candle that subsequently set their room ablaze. 

Fortunately, the sprinkler system extinguished the fire around 4 p.m., according to News and Information Director Aileen Yoo. One room suffered fire and water damage and two more rooms suffered water damage, displacing a total of 12 students.

A silver lining on the cloud of this year’s unexpectedly slow enrollment growth: There’s plenty of space available, so the dozen students were quickly relocated to new rooms, Yoo told the Outpost via email.

In an odd coincidence, the fire happened on the same day that the Mad River Union‘s Jack Durham reported that the university recently nixed an agreement with the Arcata Fire Department “to provide special services including disaster preparedness, smoke removal, animal rescues, residence hall fire drills, an active shooter training and more.”

The split came after AFD sent the university a $100 invoice for responding to a false fire alarm, though the contract remains active until Nov. 18, according to Durham’s reporting.

AFD still responds to fires on campus, and they responded to this one, but it had already been doused by the building’s sprinkler systems, according to Yoo.