Police in Los Angeles have arrested a 46-year old man for starting a one-acre fire in a residential neighborhood near Laurel Canyon. The man was seen leaving the area and is believed to be homeless. He calls himself Prometheus and was booked under the name Pro Me Theaus.
There are several myths about the actual god of fire, Prometheus, and how he achieved that status. One of the most prominent is that he had a feud with Zeus, the king of the gods who was also the god of the sky and thunder. According to Wikipedia:
…Zeus hid fire from humans in retribution. Prometheus at once went to Athena with a plea for admittance to Olympus, and this she granted. On his arrival, he lit a torch at the fiery chariot of the Sun from which he broke at once a fragment of glowing charcoal, which he thrust into the pithy hollow of a giant fennel-stalk. Then, extinguishing his torch, he stole away, and gave fire to mankind.
UPDATE @ 10:54 a.m. MT
Chuck Bushey, President of the International Association of Wildland Fire reminded me that the IAWF’s logo is supposed to be Prometheus delivering fire to humankind.
