Cal Fire authorities arrested Damin Anthony Pashilk, 40, on suspicion that he may have also been connected to several fires in Lake County over the past year.
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Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin says that 40year old Damin Anthony Pashilk who hails from Clearlake, California is behind bars and will be facing charges of 17 counts of arson.
A massive Northern California Wildfire, also known as the “Clayton Fire”, has ravaged about 4,000 acres in just two days and has also burned down more than 175 buildings in the area.
Flames racing through dry brush destroyed at least four homes and forced more than 1,000 people to flee a northern California lake community that was evacuated in a devastating wildfire previous year.
Feeding on drought-stricken, dry conditions, the fire has burned aggressively and destroyed 175 structures, including homes, businesses and properties.
The new reality roared into Lower Lake on Sunday, when wind-driven flames fed by pines in the mountains and oaks that cluster on the rolling hills close to town wiped out whole blocks, authorities said. Many who see the devastation wonder how they can help. Last year’s Rocky fire burned more than 100 square miles of forest.
Ken Pimlott, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Director, said the blaze in the town of Lower Lake has caused more than $10 million in damages and left dozens of families homeless.
Firefighters are struggling to contain the fire. Large, explosive fires have torn through drought-plagued or hard-to-reach areas across California this summer, including a stubborn blaze near the picturesque Big Sur coastline that has burned 113 square miles since late July and destroyed almost 60 homes.
The Sacramento Bee reported that people listening to the police announce Pashilk’s arrest Monday shouted that he should be burned or hanged for the fires he’s linked with.
Six firefighters were briefly trapped by flames during the fire’s early hours, when occupants of a home refused to leave and the crew stayed to protect them.
Above: Photographer Matthew Henderson has been adding numerous Clayton Fire photos to his Facebook page. Pashilk faces 17 counts of arson.
More than 4,000 people have been evacuated from their homes.
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A majority of last year’s “fire survivors” already fled the area leaving behind their homes and businesses. “To hear someone intentionally set this fire, not to mention others”. “We feel we were put through hell previous year and now we are in it again”.
