Firefighter Arrested For Allegedly Starting Multiple Wildfires
A California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) firefighter was arrested on September 20 after being suspected of starting five separate wildfires in California from mid-August through mid-September.
Robert Hernandez, 38, a Cal Fire apparatus engineer, was apprehended by Cal Fire Law Enforcement officers at the Howard Forest Fire Station in Willits, California, about 130 miles outside of San Francisco. Authorities are accusing Hernandez of setting all five fires in Sonoma Country while the firefighter was off-duty.
Purposefully Set?
According to a press release from Cal Fire, the five fires set by the firefighter burned less than an acre of land “due to quick actions of residents and fire-suppression resources,” the statement read.
“Cal Fire would like to extend our thanks to the residents of the affected communities for their vigilance and information which helped in the apprehension of the suspect.”
Authorities allege that Hernandez’ string of arson began on August 15, when he started the Alexander Fire.
Charged With Six Felonies
The firefighter is also alleged to have started four other fires over the following month, including the Windsor River Road Fire on September 8, the Geysers Fire on September 12 and the Geyser and Kinley fires, which each started on September 14.
For his alleged role in starting the fires, the firefighter has been charged with six felonies, including five counts of arson of forest land or structure and one count of arson during a state of emergency by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.
While legal representation for Hernandez has yet to be made public, he is due to appear in court on September 24. Hernandez is currently being held on a $2 million bail.
Cal Fire’s Reputation
In Cal Fire’s press release, Cal Fire Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler noted the severity of Hernandez’s alleged actions and described the fires that the firefighter is accused of setting as an attack on the reputation of Cal Fire.
“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,” Tyler said in the press release.
Other Wildfires
Hernandez’s arrest is just the latest in a very active period of arson in California, with Cal Fire arresting 91 people suspected of committing arson so far in 2024.
One of the costliest acts of arson in California this year has been the ongoing Line Fire in San Bernardino County in which a 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of starting the massive fire that has destroyed nearly 40,000 acres.
According to San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson, the suspect, Justin Wayne Halstenberg, has been charged with nine arson-related crimes including counts related to arson causing more than $7 million in damages, three counts of arson of forest land, and three counts of using an incendiary device.
Millions Of Acres Destroyed
As the fire continues to burn, prosecutors have said that Halstenberg is open to facing more charges. Halstenberg is currently facing 10 years to life in prison for his role in allegedly starting the fires.
According to Cal Fire, California has seen a yearly average of nearly a million acres of land destroyed over the last 5-year interval, with 2020 being responsible for about 4.5 million acres lost due to several major wildfires.
While the fires that Hernandez started were quickly contained to under an acre burned, the firefighter could potentially spend over a decade behind bars if he is convicted of his alleged crimes.
Source: CNN
