The fire has charred 4,000 acres in Lake County, and destroyed more than 175 structures including many homes in Lower Lake.
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Damin Anthony Pashilk, 40, was book into Lake County Jail for arson on Monday. The Valley Fire alone, which burned more than 100 square miles past year, left four people dead and destroyed more than 1,300 homes. Pashilk was “wanted for parole violations in Napa” and was booked because he was a felon with a weapon and methamphetamine, the Lake County News wrote at the time.
Thousands of people fled the area and many families have been left homeless as a result. According to Ken Pimlott, the Director of California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection who was consoling the people of Lake County, full prosecution of the suspect must be carried out. Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency and hundreds of people have been evacuated as the fire swept through downtown Lower Lake.
Damin Anthony Pashilk is 40-years-old and accused of setting the Clayton Fire in California.
As of late Monday, the Clayton Fire was burning through 4,000 acres (1,620 hectares), with 1,664 personnel fighting the blaze, Cal Fire said.
Bone-dry conditions as California weathers one of its worst droughts on record makes the fire risk extremely high in the wooded region about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of San Francisco.
Containing the blaze has proven to be a costly effort during a time when the state is battling several significant wildfires.
Wildfires hit Lower Lake for the first time in generations past year when three major blazes blackened towns and mountainous wildland close to the town.
Dan Peters, with the Nevato Fire District, mops up a fire at a house during the Clayton fire after structures were destroyed in Lower Lake, Calif., Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. But it was only about 5 percent contained as of Monday night. No human injuries or fatalities have been reported, but some animals lost their lives in the fire.
“Everybody is just on edge”, he said.
Investigators did not reveal how the fire was ignited, nor how they tied Pashilk to the blaze.
Lower Lake barely missed wildfires that plagued towns east and south previous year.
The blaze in San Luis Obispo County, about 180 miles northwest of Los Angeles, has destroyed 12 structures and injured two people.
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The Clayton Fire exploded Sunday evening and now covers 3,000 acres.
