Sky lanterns similar to the one that caused a small brush fire on Monday, have caused a number of fires on the Central Coast. According to KSBY a sky lantern sparked a fire in 2012 that nearly destroyed emergency communication facilities and phone towers. The blaze prompted County Supervisors to ban sky lanterns in 2013. Cal Fire officials say a permit is required to fly a sky lantern, adding that it must be tethered to reduce the risk of wildfire.
