SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — A Cal Fire firefighter was arrested Friday, accused of igniting five fires in the North Bay in recent weeks when he was off duty.
The 38-year-old man from Healdsburg was arrested Friday morning at the agency’s Howard Forest station in Mendocino County.
MAP: Track wildfires across California
“I’m still processing this but he doesn’t live here, nor has he,” said the suspect’s estranged wife.
The estranged wife of a 38-year-old Cal Fire Apparatus engineer, wants to stay anonymous but says she’s speechless about her husband’s arrest for suspicion of felony arson. ABC7 News is not identifying the firefighter until he’s been officially charged.
“I don’t think anyone will have any idea that this had been happening, I’m 100 percent in shock,” she said.
The department suspects the firefighter of causing five brush fires in Sonoma County this summer while he was off duty, including, the Alexander Fire on Aug. 15, the Windsor River Road Fire on Sept. 8, the Geysers Fire on Sept. 12 and the Geyser and Kinley Fires on Sept. 14.
Cal Fire says, all five brush fires burned less than an acre of wildland due to the quick action of residents and firefighters.
MORE: Questions raised after CA bills mandating