California Fire Engineer Arrested for Allegedly Starting Five Wildfires
Cal Fire’s director expresses shock at the betrayal of public trust.
An employee from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has been arrested for allegedly igniting five wildfires across the state within the past month, as reported by officials.
Cal Fire Law Enforcement Officers took 38-year-old Robert Hernandez, a fire apparatus engineer at Cal Fire, into custody on Friday morning. The agency’s press release shared with YSL News indicates that he is believed to have started these five wildfires between August 15 and September 12.
“I am horrified to find that one of our employees has breached the public’s trust and jeopardized the diligent work of the dedicated 12,000 personnel at Cal Fire,” stated Joe Tyler, the director and chief of Cal Fire.
Hernandez was arrested at the Howard Forest Fire Station, located in Willits, California, approximately 132 miles northwest of San Francisco.
Charges Against Robert Hernandez
Hernandez faces six felony charges: five counts of arson targeting forest land or buildings, and one count of arson during a state of emergency, as noted by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.
He is scheduled to appear in court again on September 24 at 8:30 a.m. PT, and is currently held on bail set at $2 million.
Cal Fire has apprehended 91 individuals suspected of arson since September 1, and a total of 923 since 2016.
Wildfires Linked to Robert Hernandez
Off-duty Hernandez is suspected of starting the following wildfires, according to Cal Fire:
- Alexander Fire: August 15, 2024
- Windsor River Road Fire: September 8, 2024
- The Geysers Fire: September 12, 2024
- Geyser Fire: a separate incident from the one above – September 14, 2024
- Kinley Fire: September 14, 2024
Overall, the wildfires caused damage to less than an acre of land, thanks to the swift response of local residents and fire suppression teams, as reported by Cal Fire.
“CAL FIRE extends its gratitude to the residents of the impacted communities for their alertness and tips that aided in the suspect’s arrest,” the agency added in a statement.
Julia is a trending reporter for YSL News. Connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram<em, and TikTok: @juliamariegz
