California company: Machine failure may have caused wildfire

WEED, Calif. (AP) — A wood products company says it is investigating whether a fire that killed two people as it swept through a Northern California town was caused by a failure of a water-spraying machine used to cool ash at its veneer mill. Roseburg Forest Products Co. also announced Wednesday that although the investigation is not complete, it plans to provide up to $50 million for a community restoration fund for the town of Weed. The Mill Fire erupted Sept. 2. The mill produces its own electricity in a co-generation facility fueled by wood remnants, and the ash that is ejected is sprayed with cooling water by a machine