Lower Lake >> Officials arrested a man who they allege started a fire in an attempt to protect his marijuana plants from the Jerusalem Fire, which sparked up only a few hours earlier but had already consumed roughly 3,000 acres by Sunday afternoon.
As law enforcement were conducting a mandatory evacuation of homes in the Jerusalem Grade and Jerusalem Valley as the wildfire threatened several structures, they noticed a large fire ignite at a home in the 15000 block of Spruce Grove Road, according Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO). This occurred at about 7:30 p.m.
Cal Fire and county law enforcement responded and spoke with several witnesses, who said they saw the property owner Juan Ramos Silva start the fire. When confronted by authorities, Silva reportedly admitted to starting it, explaining that he was a firefighter in Mexico years ago and wanted a controlled burn to prevent the Jerusalem Fire from reaching his home.
According to Brooks, however, the proximity of the marijuana grow to the fire Silva started appears to have been an attempt to protect the pot plants, not the residence about 50 feet away.
Silva, 49, was charged with one count of arson and starting a backfire. He was booked into the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility with bail set at $15,000.
“This is the fifth arrest our officers have made in just the past two weeks,” Cal Fire Director Chief Ken Pimlott said. “Especially now with the dry conditions from the drought, we will absolutely not tolerate arson of any type and will track down those suspected of causing harm to our communities.”
Cal Fire asks residents to be vigilant in their preparedness.
“Suspicious activity should be reported including the time, individual’s physical description and a vehicle description, including the license plate number,” said Amy Head, Cal Fire information officer. “Always contact law enforcement, never approach a suspicious person.”
Anyone with information about arson is urged to call the Cal Fire Arson Hotline at 1-800-468-4408. Callers can remain anonymous.
