Man charged with arson in Northern California wildfire

Thousands of firefighters kept a growing wildfire from burning homes in Northern California on Thursday, as authorities charged a man with a long criminal history with deliberately starting the blaze that drove some 2,800 residents from their homes.

In a criminal complaint filed by prosecutors in El Dorado County, Wayne Allen Huntsman, 37, is accused of "willfully and maliciously" setting the so-called King Fire, the largest and most dangerous of nearly a dozen major wildfires raging across California, court documents showed.

Authorities believe Huntsman set the fire on or about Sept. 13 in the area of Pollock Pines.

The complaint said the crime was a serious felony and that "a firefighter, peace officer, or other emergency personnel suffered great bodily injury as a result of the offense."

The wind-whipped wildfire burned through 114 square miles of timber and vegetation east of Sacramento and was just 10 percent contained but had yet to damage or destroy any homes or buildings, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

But those near the fire say it is powerful and dangerous.

"There are a lot of firefighters saying that this fire is producing fire conditions unlike anything that they have ever seen," Cal Fire Battalion Chief Joe Tyler said at a community meeting Thursday night. "It's creating its own weather overhead. Just the tinder-dry fuel conditions are igniting fuels every time – brush or timber – every time an ember drops on the ground."

Huntsman was being held Thursday night on $10 million bail in El Dorado County Jail and was scheduled to be arraigned on Friday.

In addition to the arson charges, he faces a special charge of arson with aggravating factors because the blaze east of Sacramento put a dozen firefighters in serious danger, forcing them to deploy their fire shields. They all escaped unharmed.

District Attorney Vern Pierson declined to say what led investigators to Huntsman. Investigators were in contact with Huntsman before his arrest Wednesday night in Placerville.

"It's something that's evolving at this point," Pierson said of the investigation. He did not know whether Huntsman had an attorney.

Huntsman's sister, Tami Criswell, said she doubts her brother started the fire, but if he did, it wasn't on purpose. Criswell said she and her brother were raised in Santa Cruz and often camped. She said her brother, who has worked in construction and private security, loves being in the forest and always was cautious with campfires.

"He's a really good guy," Criswell said. "He would never do anything intentionally to hurt anybody."

Yet, Santa Cruz authorities had a $5,000 warrant out for Huntsman stemming from a Feb. 27, 2013 arrest for resisting or obstructing a public officer. Officials said he had failed to show up for several court dates.

His arrest record in Santa Cruz dates back to 1996, according to court records. That year he was convicted of tampering with a vehicle, auto theft, driving under the influence, grand theft and assault with a deadly weapon, which resulted in a three-year sentence. He was sent to San Quentin State Prison.

In 2003, he was convicted in Plumas County of receiving stolen property, the new complaint says.

The blaze, which started Saturday, has been fueled by heavy timber and grass that is extremely dry because of California's third straight year of drought. It is costing $5 million a day to fight, Cal Fire officials said.

Wire services