An employee of California’s state fire protection agency has been arrested on suspicion of starting five forest fires in recent weeks, local officials have said.
Robert Hernandez, a 38-year-old apparatus engineer at Cal Fire, was charged with five counts of arson, and is due to appear in court on Tuesday.
He is suspected of igniting the blazes while off duty in three areas of northern California between 15 August and 14 September.
Apparatus engineers at Cal Fire are responsible for operating and maintaining fire engines and water tanks during emergency responses.
On Tuesday a 34-year-old delivery driver pleaded not guilty to 11 arson-related crimes by prosecutors in southern California.
Local authorities reported that a state fire protection agency employee in California was taken into custody on suspicion of igniting five forest fires in the previous few weeks.
Tuesday is Robert Hernandez’s court appearance. Hernandez, a 38-year-old Cal Fire apparatus engineer, is accused of five arson counts.
He is thought to have started the fires in three northern California locations between August 15 and September 14, when he was not on duty.
Less than one acre (0.04 ha) of wildland burned because of the prompt action of the firefighters and the locals, according to the officials.
Agency Chief Joe Tyler stated, “I am appalled to learn one of our employees would violate the public’s trust and attempt to tarnish the tireless work of the 12,000 women and men of Cal Fire.”.
Hernandez was taken into custody on Friday and registered at the Sonoma County Jail.
Approximately 56–62 miles (90–100 km) north of San Francisco, he is suspected of starting the five fires close to the towns of Geyserville, Healdsburg, and Windsor.
During emergency responses, Cal Fire apparatus engineers are in charge of running and maintaining water tanks and fire engines.
As per the AP news agency, California has experienced almost three times the amount of acreage burned in wildfires this summer as compared to the entire year of 2023.
A 34-year-old delivery driver entered a not guilty plea to 11 charges of arson on Tuesday, according to southern California prosecutors.
One significant wildfire, known as the Line Fire and spanning 61 square miles (158 square kilometers) in the San Bernardino mountains east of Los Angeles, is said to have been started by Justin Wayne Halstenberg.
