A California state fire marshal has been arrested on suspicion of starting five wildfires in recent weeks, local officials say.
Robert Hernandez, a 38-year-old equipment engineer with Cal Fire, has been charged with five counts of arson and is due in court on Tuesday.
He is suspected of starting fires while off duty in three areas in Northern California between August 15 and September 14.
Officials said that thanks to the quick response of firefighters and local residents, the area of wildland burned was just under 0.4 hectares.
“I am appalled to learn that one of our employees violated the public trust and attempted to tarnish the tireless work of the 12,000 women and men of Cal Fire,” said agency director Joe Tyler.
Hernandez was arrested on Friday and booked into the Sonoma County Jail last Friday.
He is suspected of starting five fires near the towns of Geyserville, Healdsburg and Windsor, about 56-62 miles (90-100km) north of San Francisco.
Apparatus engineers at Cal Fire are responsible for operating and maintaining fire trucks and water tanks during emergency response.
California has seen some serious wildfires this summer, with nearly three times the area burned than in all of 2023, the AP reported.
A 34-year-old delivery driver pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 11 arson-related charges brought by prosecutors in Southern California.
Justin Wayne Halstenberg is accused of starting a massive wildfire — known as the Line Fire — that burned 61 square miles (158 square kilometers) of the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles.
