A 28-year-old Sacramento man was taken into custody Thursday after investigators say he was spotted near the origin point of a vegetation fire above Shingletown. The blaze was reported around 10:47 a.m. near the 29000 block of Wengler Hill Road, where Cal Fire law-enforcement officers detained the suspect at the scene.
According to Action News Now, Cal Fire personnel located the man close to the fire’s apparent point of origin and arrested him on suspicion of arson of forest land. The outlet reports that investigators are still collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses as part of an active, open case.
Where It Started And Local Wildfire Risk
The fire broke out along a wooded stretch of Wengler Hill Road, an area of scattered homes tucked into heavy brush on the Shingletown ridge above Redding. Local wildfire-prevention efforts, including the “Shingletown Slash” chipping program that helps residents dispose of yard debris and cut down on burnable material, are aimed at keeping small ignitions from turning into major disasters, according to the Shasta County Fire Safe Council.
Investigation And Legal Implications…