A Sonoma County firefighter, Robert Hernandez, was arrested Friday on suspicion of starting five separate wildfires in Northern Sonoma County, including the Alexander, Windsor River Road, Geysers, and Kinley fires between August and September 2024. Hernandez, a 38-year-old Fire Apparatus Engineer from Healdsburg, was apprehended at the Cal Fire Howard Forest Station and is facing five felony arson charges, along with one charge for committing arson during a state of emergency. He is currently being held in Sonoma County Jail, with a court appearance scheduled for September 24, 2024.
Cal Fire Chief Joe Tyler condemned Hernandez’s actions, expressing deep disappointment over the betrayal of public trust. This case highlights the troubling issue of “firefighter arson,” where a small number of firefighters are accused of intentionally starting fires, often motivated by thrill-seeking or a “hero syndrome” desire to be praised for extinguishing fires they ignite. Nationwide, approximately 100 firefighters are arrested for arson each year, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Read my coverage in SFGATE here.
We don’t want to believe someone would want to intentionally set a fire that could destroy people’s property, the forests, and kill people and animals. We certainly wouldn’t think a firefighter would do this. The sentencing of arsonists needs to be severe. We thank all the firefighters who risk their lives to save ours.
The firefighters get paid a lot to fight fires especially wild fires since they get much more OT for several weeks and/or months until the fire is under control. Times are tight right now so more OT would pad the wallets of financially thirsty firefighters in dry arid NorCal.