CAL FIRE Apparatus Engineer Arrested for Setting Wildfires
By Rick Hurd
Source Bay Area News Group (TNS)
A Cal Fire employee suspected of setting five different wildfires has been arrested, authorities said Friday.
Officers with the agency arrested 38-year-old Robert Hernandez, of Healdsburg about 8 a.m. Friday, according to a statement from Cal Fire. He is suspected of arson to forest land in the areas surrounding Geyserville, Healdsburg, and Windsor, authorities said.
According to Cal Fire, Hernandez was an apparatus engineer for the agency.
Cal Fire Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler in a statement said he was “appalled” to learn of the arrest.
The Alexander Fire (which started Aug. 15); the Windsor River Road Fire ( Sept. 8), the Geysers Fire ( Sept. 12) and the Geyser and Kinley Fires ( Sept. 14) burned less than an acre combined. Authorities said investigators suspect Hernandez set all the fires during his off-duty time.
Authorities said they booked Hernandez into the Sonoma County Jail.
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