We are into mid-October and the historic fire season in the west is beginning to wind down. Wet weather, including mountain snow, will help fire crews wrap up fire season.
Many of these wildfires are indirectly caused by humans. A downed power line, flicked cigarette, or sparks caused by a dirt bike can ignite a super dry forest and boom, wildfire. While this is scary and potentially negligent in some situations, it is accidental. What is more concerning is the number of wildfires intentionally set by humans.
According to a report from the High Country News, 9% of wildfires in California were intentionally set by humans. In 2019, Arsen accounted for approximately 277 of the 3,086 wildfires that CalFire fought. This is a truly disturbing statistic as it is well-documented how destructive and deadly these fires can be.
One of the more high-profile of these arson cases was Gary Maynard, a criminology professor who was arrested after setting fires in Lassen County during the Dixie Fire. This fall, scientist and shaman Alexandra Souverneva was arrested after starting fires in Shasta County. One thing is for sure, this is a disturbing trend that can have extremely serious ramifications.
Images From: CalFire Facebook Page