Street of Dreams in Flames
AP Photo/Elaine Thompson
Fires destroyed three multi-million-dollar homes early this morning in Woodinville. The homes had previously been featured in the annual "Street of Dreams." Explosive devices were found and removed in the three homes that had burned and a fourth that had been spared from the flames. (It had been previously reported that four homes burned and there were five explosive devices. We're going to stick with the most recent AP report.)
Responders to the fires reportedly found hand-made signs with slogans like "Built Green? Nope Black!" and "McMansions....are not green" at the scene. Police suspect that the radical environmental group, the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) may be involved with the fires. Because explosives were involved in the crime, the FBI is investigating the fires as a potential domestic terrorist act.
The homes had been featured in 2007's "Street of Dreams"--an annual event which showcases luxury show homes on the same street as a new subdivision. Ironically, the theme--featured heavily in the advertising for the event--was green-built homes. However, the "greenness" of the homes had been questioned and protested by local environmental groups.
The homes had been built near the headwaters of Bear Creek, home to endangered Chinook salmon. Opponents worried that the development would have a negative affect on the salmon's habitat and that enough wasn't being done to protect them. Beyond specific worries, environmentalists questioned the efficacy of producing "green" homes that would take an exorbitant amount of energy to run. While builders claimed reducing the size of the homes from 10,000 square feet to an average of 4,500 square feet would make them more environmentally friendly, opponents were unconvinced. The homes had been certified as "built green" by a green-building program run by the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties.
The fires come during the jury-deliberation of a suspected ELF member on trial for serving as a look-out during an arson at the University of Washington Horticulture Center. The 2001 fire destroyed the Horticulture Center, which was rebuilt at the cost of $7 million. How the news of the fires in Woodinville will affect the ELF court case, has yet to be seen. But it would seem the timing is no coincidence.
Conspiracy theories are already sprouting up around the fires. Reports have also surfaced that realtors were having a difficult time selling the $2 million homes--shocking, considering America's booming housing market. Adding further fuel to the conspiracy rumor, the only "Street of Dreams" home that was spared from the flames was the only home that had been sold.
