California Firefighter Accused of Igniting Blazes in Wine Country

By Rich McKay

A California firefighter has been arrested on suspicion of setting multiple wildfires in the state’s wine country, amid ongoing efforts by his colleagues to combat devastating blazes that have consumed nearly a million acres and led to mass evacuations across the state this year.

Robert Matthew Hernandez, a 38-year-old fire apparatus engineer from Healdsburg, was taken into custody on Friday. Authorities allege that he ignited five separate fires between August 15 and September 14 while off-duty, as reported by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Joe Tyler, the director and fire chief of Cal Fire, expressed his dismay in a statement, saying it is shocking for an employee to betray public trust and undermine the work of thousands of dedicated firefighters.

Details about Hernandez’s legal representation were not immediately available.

The blazes allegedly started by Hernandez occurred in Sonoma County, a region celebrated for its vineyards. Fortunately, fire crews were able to extinguish the fires, which collectively burned less than an acre.

A spokesperson for Cal Fire indicated that further information would not be released at this time, and the motive for the fires remains unclear.

Hernandez has been charged with five counts of arson to forest land and is being held on $2 million bail at the Sonoma County Jail.

Meanwhile, wildfires continue to wreak havoc across California. Three separate fires around Los Angeles have resulted in the destruction of over 230 homes and other structures, leading to the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents since September 5.

This year’s wildfires have already burned nearly four times as much land compared to the same period last year, when fire conditions were relatively benign. Climate scientists attribute the worsening fires to extremely dry vegetation and record heat, both exacerbated by climate change.