MARIJUANA GROW OPS CREATE MAJOR FIRE HAZARD, POLICE WARN

Marijuana grow operations are time bombs that could lead to a repeat
of a devastating fire that left several families homeless and a
Calgary man facing a multitude of arson charges, says an officer with
the arson unit.

With light bulbs that should be used on sports fields and hard cords
carrying so much electricity they are soft to the touch, marijuana
grow operations are a huge safety concern, Det. Scott Sampson said Thursday.

Police believe it was any one of several grossly negligent electrical
installations in a grow op that triggered a massive blaze in Citadel
in December.

Russell Hugh McDougall, 33, has been charged with 16 counts of arson
by negligence in connection with the fire that destroyed five homes
in that community.

He is also charged with one count of production/manufacturing drugs
and one of electricity theft.

McDougall has been in custody since his arrest Wednesday. His first
court appearance is set for this morning.

Previously, he spent a year in jail on charges of second-degree
murder before a judge ruled he and his co-accused acted in
self-defence in the death of Todd Miller in March 2006. He was
released in May 2007.

"He has been out with no difficulties since the second-degree murder
case," his lawyer Adriano Iovinelli said Thursday.

Iovinelli said he will wait until he can see the strength of the
prosecutor's case before making a decision on bail.

"Because of the nature of the charges, public interest is always a
concern," he said.

The blaze that started in the basement of a home on Citadel Forest
Place N.W. on Dec. 5 wiped out five homes, leaving 11 people
homeless. Damage is estimated at $3.8 million.

Police said they believe the suspect discovered the fire and
attempted to rescue his two dogs before fleeing without alerting his
neighbours or calling 911.

Fire crews battled high winds and blizzard conditions that whipped
the fire from one house to the next.

Sampson said the danger from grow operations comes from bypassing the
main electrical line -- and, consequently, safety standards -- and
also from the high-wattage bulbs.

The 1,000-watt and 1,500-watt bulbs should be kept about 12 metres
away from any combustible materials, he said.

Often the lights, as well as the fans and air conditioners used to
keep the area cool, are wired directly and bypass breakers.

"Some statistics show a grow op is 20 times more likely to start a
fire," Sampson said.

Neighbours and landlords need to watch for signs of a grow operation.
Residents not taking in the mail, appearances late at night or in the
early morning, late-night construction noise and no snow on the roof
can all be indicators of a home housing a grow op, Sampson said.

He also praised the efforts of the fire crews and the insurance
companies for protecting the scene, which allowed investigators to
pull evidence from the site of the fire.

"Fire doesn't destroy everything," Sampson said.