A Cal Fire firefighter from Healdsburg was taken into custody on Friday for allegedly setting five fires across the North Bay in recent weeks while he was off duty. The 38-year-old fire apparatus engineer was arrested at the Cal Fire Howard Forest station in Mendocino County by Cal Fire law enforcement officers. The fires were suspected to have been ignited in the areas of Geyserville, Healdsburg, and Windsor, and included the Alexander Fire on Aug. 15, the Windsor River Road Fire on Sept. 8, and the Geysers Fire, Geyser Fire, and Kinley Fire on Sept. 12 and 14.

Fortunately, the quick actions of residents and fire suppression resources prevented the fires from spreading significantly, with all five fires burning less than an acre of wildland, as reported by Cal Fire. The firefighter will face charges of arson to forest land and is set to be booked into Sonoma County Jail. In response to the incident, Cal Fire Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler expressed dismay at the violation of the public's trust and commended the affected communities for their vigilance and support in assisting with the arrest of the suspect.

Cal Fire emphasized the importance of community readiness and urged people to be vigilant in identifying suspicious behavior when fires break out. Suspicious activity should be reported to law enforcement, providing details such as the time, physical description of individuals, and vehicle information, including license plate numbers. Those with information regarding arson incidents are encouraged to contact the Cal Fire arson hotline at (800) 468-4408, with the option to remain anonymous.

Since September 1, the agency has arrested 91 suspected arsonists this year and a total of 923 since 2016, highlighting the ongoing efforts to combat arson in the state. For more information and resources on fire safety and prevention, individuals are directed to visit the Cal Fire website.