Firefighters prepare for butane hash oil season

UPDATE 2/17/16 10:10 AM: Butane hash oil labs are a growing concern for law enforcement this time of the year as some look to get a stronger high from their medical marijuana plants. Fire crews said they typically see more fires because of the illegal labs during spring. “Butane hash oil season,” that’s the name dubbed by the Santa Cruz fire department, as drug labs are seen more often across the state during spring time. Santa Cruz fire said every year several explosions happen there.

“The process is extremely dangerous very hazardous, there is health concerns just with the butane but the flammability,” said Aptos Division Chief, Mike Conrad.

The labs are highly explosive and one Santa Cruz resident learned that the hard way. The most recent hash oil lab explosion occurred in Aptos, off Bonita Street. Fire officials said most of the hash oil labs are found in residential homes. Investigators said people tend to have more personal marijuana plants on hand, sometimes they turn them into hash oil, creating a higher concentration of T.H.C. for a stronger high. But the hash oil labs are illegal.

“I was sitting in my office and I heard someone yelling and I ran out into the street and saw smoke coming out of the house so we called 911. It was pretty bad it sounded like someone was in a lot of pain,” said Aptos resident, Evelynn Hernandez.

Because they are so dangerous, Chief Conrad said unless someone has to be rescued from a fire, crews will take a more defensive approach from outside.

“Our last fire you could hear the butane popping off throughout the house. Not only the butane but you never know what other products are in there a lot of times a house is divided up into much smaller rooms for the processing, there’s a lot of electrical wires, there’s a lot of things that we don’t see in normal home,” said Chief Conrad.

Crews said it may be hard to spot a hash oil lab, but smelling one might be easier. They urge residents who come across a suspicious odor to call 911.

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The Aptos Fire Department is getting ready for what they call Butane hash oil season.

In late December, a house just four doors down from the Aptos Fire Department caught on fire, leading to the discovery of a butane hash oil lab. For years, these illegal operations have caused problems in Santa Cruz County, from house fires to very bad burns.

The labs and highly-explosive ingredients also put responders in jeopardy. Tonight on KION, Brandon Castillo will talk about new protocols for responding to hash oil labs.