Arsonist arrested after series of little fires set by elementary school: police
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - One Santa Rosa elementary school had constant fires set near its campus for several days in an alleged arson attack.
Santa Rosa police alleged 61-year-old resident James Conforti set at least four separate fires in Southwest Community Park on 1698 Hearn Ave. between Sept. 16 and Sept. 20.
The fourth fire on Friday around 1 p.m. burned on Meadow View Elementary School's property at 2665 Dutton Meadow. The school had a shelter-in-place order set after reports of heavy smoke in the area.
The shelter-in-place order was lifted once the smoke was cleared. No injuries or damaged structures were reported.
All four fires were quickly extinguished by firefighters and burned less than one acre, police said.
Fire crews were on scene to monitor the area by the park on Friday because of the three previous fires occurring next to each other and around the same time.
Featured
Cal Fire firefighter arrested for allegedly starting 5 North Bay fires
A Cal Fire firefighter was arrested Friday for allegedly igniting five fires in the North Bay in recent weeks when he was off duty.
On Friday, a Santa Rosa fire inspector saw a "suspicious person" in the area and tried to stop him, later identified as Conforti, but he managed to get away.
Police said they found Conforti shortly before 10 p.m. that night at a hotel in the 2600 block of Corby Avenue.
Santa Rosa detectives determined he was responsible for igniting the four fires and he was booked in the Sonoma County Jail for four counts of arson and on a misdemeanor warrant from Santa Clara County for a hit-and-run.
Conforti's bail was set at $150,000.
KTVU reached out to Meadow View Elementary School for comment and is waiting to hear back.