Man arrested in Gann fire says he was was trying to make money for a birthday dinner

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Set us as preferred A Northern California man arrested on suspicion of causing a deadly fire that’s grown to more than 10,000 acres reportedly said the blaze was unintended, and that he was just working to save money for a birthday dinner with his wife.Fire officials took 65-year-old Herbert Wayne Smith into custody on Monday around 7:45 p.m., according to arrest records.Detectives believe the Valley Springs handyman caused the Gann fire, which started earlier that day.

The Gann fire is roughly 35 miles east of Stockton and entirely within Calaveras County.The blaze had grown to 10,374 acres, with 26% containment, as of Thursday afternoon.Seven structures have been destroyed in the fire, and a body was reportedly recovered from one of those burned buildings.

Multiple areas have been evacuated.Roughly 2,715 firefighting personnel from more than 20 agencies statewide have responded, including several air tankers.Gann was booked before a body was discovered, and his charges are yet to be updated.“The investigation determined that Smith was responsible for recklessly causing the Gann Fire, which ignited on Aug.

3 … in a rural area southeast of New Hogan Lake,” the Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection posted in a statement.California A judge found Ronnie Stout guilty of starting the devastating Park fire.

The 44-year-old Chico man faces 25 years to life and is scheduled to be sentenced Oct.9, according to the Butte County district attorney’s office.Smith was operating equipment, reportedly a chainsaw, that did not comply with fire prevention requirements and was capable of producing sparks, according to Cal Fire.

Any individual who uses such equipment near wildlands must clear flammable vegetation around a specific work area and maintain firefighting tools.Investigators ...