Firefighter in California accused of starting fires in wine region

A California firefighter named Robert Hernandez, 38, was arrested on suspicion of arson for setting five small fires in wine country between August 15 and September 14 while off-duty. Hernandez, a Cal Fire apparatus engineer, allegedly ignited the blazes around Geyserville, Healdsburg, and Windsor, which burned less than one acre of wildland and were quickly extinguished. The director of Cal Fire expressed shock at Hernandez’s actions and emphasized that they do not represent the hard work of the department’s employees. Hernandez is facing five counts of arson to forest land and is being held on $2 million bail. The region where the fires were set has been prone to devastating wildfires in recent years, including the 2017 Tubbs Fire and the 2020 Glass Fire, which collectively caused significant damage to homes and businesses. California has experienced record-breaking wildfires in recent years, with over 4 million acres burned in 2020 and nearly one million acres destroyed so far in 2021. Southern California has also faced fast-moving blazes threatening homes and necessitating widespread evacuations. The arrest of a firefighter for arson highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the state in combating wildfires.

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