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Two arrested in connection to California wildfires
CalFire is battling 20 fires have been across California, with the high temperatures more may be on the way. Two people were arrested on suspicion of sparking fires while attempting to clear away brush, one with a lawnmower, and one with a weed whacker. KTVU's Tom Vacar reports from Sunol.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Two people were arrested last week for allegedly starting two fires in CalFire's jurisdiction.
A Cloverdale man was arrested for starting the 11-acre Pocket Fire in Sonoma County's Geyserville on July 6 while he was cutting grass. Cal Fire said they believe his lawn mower started the fire.
He was booked in the Santa Rosa Jail on a felony charge of unlawfully causing a fire of a structure or forest land and three misdemeanor charges of violating the health and safety code and California public resource code.
He was mowing after 11 a.m. in 99 degrees with 22% humidity.
"When you're doing that defensible space work during a Red Flag Warning, in the heat of the day you know, that becomes a case in point where that could be just irresponsible," Cal Fire spokesman Jason Clay said.
Another man who was using a weed whacker was arrested for allegedly starting the 16-acre Adams Fire in Lower Lake County on July 3. He has been charged with three misdemeanors.
In this case, the man was weed whacking at 3 p.m. in 105 degrees with 10% humidity.
"They were not done with the parameters we gave to do it safely," Clay said.
CalFire's rules on keeping defensible space state to mow before 10 a.m. and never on a hot, windy day.