November 18, 2008 Sheriff: Bonfire caused 1 of 3 Calif. wildfires

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Santa Barbara County sheriff says a weekend wildfire that destroyed 210 homes was caused accidentally by a bonfire built by a group of young adults.

Sheriff Bill Brown said Tuesday that the 10 young people thought they put out the bonfire before they left. The destructive wildfire erupted about 13 hours after the group left the tea garden where the bonfire was built.

An anonymous tip led to the discovery.

The Santa Barbara fire injured more than two dozen people. A Montecito couple still are hospitalized with critical burns they suffered fleeing their home.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)