San Jose firefighters battle two grass fires simultaneously - San Jose Mercury News
San Jose firefighters Saturday afternoon found themselves battling two grass fires simultaneously.
Fires struck a hillside beside Highway 87 in southern San Jose and a landfill on city of San Jose-owned property in Milpitas about 45 minutes apart. San Jose firefighters fought both wind-driven fires but received assistance from Milpitas firefighters in battling the blaze in that city.
The two fires "taxed our resources," said San Jose fire Capt. Reggie Williams.
The larger of the two fires occurred at Canoas Garden Avenue and Sands Drive, near Church on the Hill, on the west side of Highway 87. That fire was called in at about 1:25 p.m., and firefighters were on the scene about 10 minutes later.
Some 54 firefighters from 13 companies battled the two-alarm blaze for about two hours before containing it, Williams said. The fire scorched eight to nine acres of land, and at one point threatened houses in the area. But none ended up being damaged, and no one was injured, he said.
The cause of the fire was still under investigation, but firefighters didn't suspect arson.
San Jose firefighters were alerted to the second grass fire, at Dixon Landing Road and Interstate 880, at about 2:10 p.m. The first units on the scene were from the Milpitas Fire Department. It took firefighters from both cities about two hours to contain the fire.
Williams said he didn't know how many firefighters were involved in battling the blaze, but
said it was a one-alarm fire.After getting the fire under control, firefighters set up a watch to make sure the fire didn't restart. Underneath the grass that caught fire were pieces of bark, and firefighters were worried that the bark could rekindle the blaze, Williams said. He said the fire department expected to have firefighters on the scene all night with water trucks and bulldozers to prevent that from happening.
No one was injured in the second fire, and although some heavy equipment on the scene was threatened, no property was damaged. Firefighters were investigating the cause.
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Scandal-hit Italy take on Spain at Euro 2012 - Football
Published: 10 Jun 2012 - 09:16:51
Italy are ready to consign their turbulent Euro 2012 preparation to the history books on Sunday when they take on holders Spain in their Group C opener.
A match-fixing scandal back home and a 3-0 hammering by Russia in a friendly, their third defeat on the bounce, has seen the Azzurri arrive at these championships in disarray.
Even so, Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi, set to play as a libero against the Spaniards in a revamped formation, believes that although the fans may feel disengaged now, they will soon get behind the team and help them put their troubles to bed.
"That could be the case (that the fans feel distant) given what's happened over the last few months but all will be forgotten, not least because those playing (for Italy) have nothing to do with what has happened," he said.
"Just one month before we won the World Cup (in 2006) there was a similar atmosphere.
"It is a little annoying because now next to the page about the national team you read about a sporting trial and we can't wait for it to be over.
"But it's not a case of the whole footballing world being dirty as things seem, the national team is above that."
Spain and Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique believes that will only make the Italians stronger, as it has in the past.
Already in 2006 they won the World Cup directly following a match-fixing scandal and they did so too in 1982 just two years after yet another sordid affair.
"It seems Italy have been destabilised and have their heads elsewhere. But those are the circumstances in which they are at their strongest," insisted Pique.
"I am convinced that Italy will be a very complicated opponent to play against and that they will qualify for the quarters."
Spain are not without their own concerns as hot-shot David Villa misses the tournament as he recovers from a broken leg.
Villa - Spain's all-time record goalscorer - was Spain's main hero two years ago when they lifted the World Cup, but despite his absence Spain winger Pedro believes the title-holders will not want for goals.
"David Villa is a very important player due to the goals he scores, he's a very dangerous forward.
"But in the squad there are players just behind who are good finishers like (David) Silva, (Andres) Iniesta, (Juan) Mata or (Jesus) Navas.
"We'll have to make up for all the goals David scores amongst the rest of us to go as far as possible in the Euros."
Spain are not just missing Villa as centre-back Carles Puyol is also out of the tournament with injury.
But Italy midfielder Thiago Motta says those who will come in to replace them are just as good.
"They won't be weaker, they're in a very good moment and over the last four years they've won everything," said the Brazlian-born Paris St Germain player.
"They're missing players like Villa and Puyol but others can come in and play at the same level.
"We need to concentrate on ourselves because they haven't changed much in those four years.
"The important thing is that we do ourselves justice on the pitch and play with the desire we've shown from the beginning to win this game."
Four years ago Spain were still the nearly men, the great under-achievers who despite generation after generation of great players, never managed to win anything.
That all changed when they finally landed the Euro title in Vienna four years ago.
Italy centre-back Giorgio Chiellini suggested it was Spain's penalty shoot-out victory over the Azzurri in the quarter-finals that gave them the self-belief to become a great team.
Four years on and world champions Spain are undoubtedly the best team on the planet and the clear favourites to prevail again.
However, last August Italy actually beat Spain 2-1 in a friendly in Bari, although the world champions largely dominated the match.
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