Woman Arrested for Sparking Fast-Moving CA Wildfire

Sep. 24—A Palo Alto woman was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of sparking the Fawn Fire in Shasta County, which had grown to 5,500 acres by Thursday night and triggered mandatory evacuation orders.

The fast-moving wildfire was burning about 5 miles northeast of Shasta Lake and was 5% contained Thursday afternoon.

As fire crews were battling the blaze Wednesday night, a woman, later identified as Alexandra Souverneva, 30, of Palo Alto, walked out of the forest and told firefighters she was dehydrated and in need of medical care, officials said.

After receiving treatment, Souverneva was interviewed by Cal Fire law enforcement officers, who then arrested her and booked her into the Shasta County Jail, Cal Fire and Shasta County Fire said in a statement.

Witnesses in the area reported seeing a woman trespassing and acting irrationally earlier in the day, officials said.

Souverneva, who is being held on $100,000 bail, may be charged with arson to wildland, officials said.

Residents in evacuation zones were urged to gather at the First Church of the Nazarene in Redding.

"Hot, dry conditions and gusty winds are causing significant fire growth and rapidly changing conditions," Cal Fire officials wrote in an incident report released Thursday morning.

At least 25 structures have burned and another 2,000 were threatened by the fire, according to Cal Fire.

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