A dead body was discovered inside a central California home that was consumed by a wildfire, which investigators suspect was accidentally ignited by sparks from a chain saw. The blaze has destroyed seven structures and scorched more than 15 square miles of forest in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Calaveras County.
Herbert Wayne Smith, 65, was arrested Wednesday in connection with the fire that started Monday. He is suspected of recklessly causing the blaze while operating equipment capable of producing sparks without clearing flammable vegetation as required, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Prosecutors will decide whether to file criminal charges.
Smith told KCRA-TV that he was using a chain saw to cut scrap wood when it ignited. "I’m so sorry for everything that’s happened," Smith said. "This is going to destroy my life, one way or another."
The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office stated that investigators will determine whether the fire contributed to the death of the person found in the burned home near the town of Angels Camp.
In a separate incident, three major fires were burning around Spokane, Washington. Cooler temperatures and calmer winds have allowed firefighters to make progress against those blazes, though at least 800 buildings have been destroyed. No deaths have been reported in Washington.