A Cal Fireplace worker has been arrested on suspicion of beginning 5 forest fires in latest weeks, native officers mentioned.
Cal Fireplace gear engineer Robert Hernandez, 38, has been charged with 5 counts of arson and is scheduled to seem in court docket Tuesday.
Between August 15 and September 14, he was suspected of setting fires whereas off obligation in three areas of northern California.
Due to the short response of firefighters and native residents, lower than an acre (0.4 hectares) of wildland burned, officers mentioned.
“I’m appalled that considered one of our workers would violate the general public belief and search to tarnish the tireless efforts of Cal Fireplace’s 12,000 women and men,” mentioned Joe Tyler, the company’s chief.
Hernandez was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Jail on Friday.
He’s suspected of beginning 5 fires close to the cities of Geyserville, Healdsburg and Windsor, about 56-62 miles (90-100 kilometers) north of San Francisco.
Cal Fireplace gear engineers are liable for working and sustaining hearth vans and water tanks throughout emergency responses.
In accordance with the Related Press, a number of extreme wildfires broke out in California in the course of the summer time, with the world burned almost thrice as a lot as in all of 2023.
A 34-year-old supply driver pleaded not responsible Tuesday to 11 arson-related counts filed by Southern California prosecutors.
Justin Wayne Holstenberg allegedly began a fireplace referred to as the “Line Fireplace” that burned 61 sq. miles (158 sq. kilometers) of the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles land.
