A Cal Fire employee suspected of setting five different wildfires has been arrested, authorities said Friday.
Related Articles
8 California firefighters injured after fire utility truck overturns
Wildfire risk upends California’s marijuana heartland as insurance vanishes
Retrofitted Cal Fire air tanker already part of state’s wildfire efforts
Homeowners join consumer advocates in assailing California insurance reforms
Large brush fire breaks out at busy San Jose intersection
Officers with the agency arrested 38-year-old Robert Hernandez, of Healdsburg, about 8 a.m. Friday, according to a statement from Cal Fire. He is suspected of arson to forest land in the areas surrounding Geyserville, Healdsburg, and Windsor, authorities said.
According to Cal Fire, Hernandez was an apparatus engineer for the agency.
Cal Fire Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler in a statement said he was “appalled” to learn of the arrest.
The Alexander Fire (which started Aug. 15); the Windsor River Road Fire (Sept. 8), the Geysers Fire (Sept. 12) and the Geyser and Kinley Fires (Sept. 14) burned less than an acre combined. Authorities said investigators suspect Hernandez set all the fires during his off-duty time.
Authorities said they booked Hernandez into the Sonoma County Jail.