Two men who were cutting pipe have been cited for inadvertently causing a wildfire in Kern County that destroyed 23 residences and 41 outbuildings.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says the pair were using a mechanical saw on July 26 when sparks set nearby brush on fire. The blaze grew into more than 1,600 acres near Tehachapi.
The state agency says 47-year-old Daniel Gentle and 23-year-old Michael Kulikoff were issued misdemeanor citations for causing a fire using mechanized equipment.
Agency spokesman John Buchanan didn't know the penalty for conviction.
The Bakersfield Californian located a woman who said she was Gentle's stepmother, but she had no comment.
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Information from: The Bakersfield Californian, http://www.bakersfield.com
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