A California firefighter has been arrested by one of his own after being accused of setting five fires in the state’s wine country in recent weeks.
Robert Matthew Hernandez, a 38-year-old fire engineer from Healdsburg, California, was arrested Friday by Cal Fire officers on suspicion of arson at the Howard Forest Fire Station in Mendocino County.
His arrest comes as his fellow firefighters continue to battle blazes that have consumed nearly a million acres and forced thousands of evacuations in the state this year.
Hernandez was accused of setting five fires between Aug. 15 and Sept. 14 while off-duty on forest lands near Geyserville, Healdsburg and Windsor, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said.
These include the Alexander Fire on August 15; the Windsor River Road Fire on September 8; the Geysers Fire on September 12; and the Geyser and Kinley Fires on September 14.
Robert Matthew Hernandez, pictured, a 38-year-old California firefighter, was arrested after being accused of setting five fires in the state’s wine country in recent weeks.
The arrest comes even as his fellow firefighters continue to battle blazes that have consumed nearly a million acres and forced thousands of evacuations in the state this year.
“I am horrified to learn that one of our employees would violate the public trust and attempt to tarnish the tireless work of the 12,000 women and men of Cal Fire,” agency Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler said in a statement.
Hernandez allegedly set the fires in Sonoma County, known for its wine and vineyards.
The fires were extinguished by fire crews and burned less than an acre in total thanks to the quick action of residents and firefighters, according to the fire agency.
It was thanks to the “vigilance” of residents that the agency was able to help catch Hernandez.
A Cal Fire spokesman said the agency would not provide further details at this time and said the motive was unclear.
Hernandez is an apparatus engineer for the agency, which involves operating and maintaining fire trucks and water tankers during emergency responses.
Division Chief Cyndi Foreman said, “It’s a tough pill for all of us to swallow. Someone is supposed to be out in the community protecting us, but they’re actually putting us all at risk.”
Hernandez was arrested Friday by Cal Fire officers on suspicion of arson at the Howard Forest Fire Station, pictured.
He was indicted on five counts of arson on forest land. Hernandez was being held Saturday in the Sonoma County Jail on $2 million bail, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. Hernandez is expected to appear in court Tuesday.
His estranged wife, who did not want to give her name, said she was “speechless” when she heard about the allegations.
“I’m 100 percent in shock,” he said. ABC7. “It’s a tough pill to swallow for all of us,”
Sonoma County Fire District Division Chief Cyndi Foreman said, “That person is supposed to be out in the community protecting us, but he’s actually putting us all at risk.”
Meanwhile, wildfires continue to rage across the state.
Three wildfires in the mountains around Los Angeles have destroyed more than 230 homes and other structures, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate suburbs and towns since Sept. 5.
California wildfires 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 Cal Fire data.
Completely dry vegetation amid record heat blamed on climate change has been making the fires worse, climate scientists say.
The National Volunteer Fire Council notes that there is no national data collection system on fires caused by firefighters.
‘Without an official source of data on firefighter arsonists, investigators, fire service leaders and researchers are forced to extrapolate based on samples from known cases,’ the report said. report he said. ‘A study of newspaper articles suggests that more than 100 firefighters a year are arrested for arson.’
As of Sept. 1, Cal Fire officers have arrested 91 suspected arsonists this year, the agency said.
It was thanks to the “vigilance” of residents that the agency was able to help catch Hernandez, whose fire burned a total of less than an acre.
As of Sept. 1, Cal Fire officers have arrested 91 suspected arsonists this year, the agency reported. Above, firefighters work to control the Park Fire in July, which was started by arson.
Last Tuesday, A delivery driver pleaded not guilty at the start of the massive Line Fire on Sept. 5. The blaze forced the evacuation of thousands of people east of Los Angeles, injured one firefighter and destroyed one home.
Justin Wayne Halstenberg, 34, was charged with 11 arson-related offenses, court records show.
Authorities said Halstenberg, of Norco, attempted to start three fires in one hour.
Two of the fires were extinguished by firefighters and a good Samaritan, and a third became the Line Fire, which has scorched 61 square miles in the San Bernardino Mountains. It was 60 percent contained Saturday.
In July, a man was arrested on suspicion of starting a park fire in Northern California by pushing a burning car into a ravine.
Ronnie Dean Stout was charged with arson of an inhabited structure or property. He pleaded not guilty.
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