California firefighter accused of setting fires in state's wine region – ThePrint – ReutersFeed

By Rich McKay

(Reuters) – A California firefighter has been arrested and accused of setting five fires in the state's wine region while his colleagues simultaneously battle flames that have ravaged nearly 400,000 acres of land and forced thousands of people to evacuate this year.

He was accused of setting five fires while off duty between August 15 and September 14, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said in a press release.

“I am appalled that one of our employees would abuse the public's trust and attempt to tarnish the tireless work of the 12,000 women and men of Cal Fire,” said Joe Tyler, the agency's director and fire chief, in a media statement.

It was not immediately clear whether Hernandez had hired a lawyer.

Hernandez is believed to have started the fires in Sonoma County, a state known for its wines and vineyards. The fires were all extinguished by firefighters and burned less than an acre of land in total, fire officials said.

A Cal Fire spokesman said the agency would not release any further details at this time. The motive was unclear.

Hernandez was formally charged with five counts of arson on wooded property. He was being held in the Sonoma County Jail on $2 million bail on Saturday, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.

Wildfires are still raging throughout the state.

Three fires in the mountains surrounding Los Angeles, the United States' second-largest city, have destroyed more than 230 homes and other buildings since September 5 and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate suburbs and cities.

According to Cal Fire data, wildfires in California have burned nearly four times as much land so far this year as they did at this time last year, when the state's fire season was milder.

According to climate scientists, bone-dry vegetation has made the fires worse in the record heat, which is blamed on climate change.

(Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

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