Washoe County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested Damien Pineda-Contreras, 29, on suspicion of third-degree arson after observing him near a newly ignited brush fire in north Reno. The arrest occurred over the weekend, near the area where massive wildfires had recently devastated over 200,000 acres.
Deputies reported seeing a vehicle leave a vacant lot without headlights and then noticing a small brush fire in the same location. They extinguished the blaze, which appeared to have been deliberately set in a teepee formation of logs and sagebrush. Fire crews were called to ensure the area was no longer a threat.
Following the fire, deputies located Pineda-Contreras at a nearby business. An inspection of his vehicle revealed several split wooden logs, lighter fluid, tumbleweed fire starters, multiple lighters, and boxes of matches.
He was booked into the Washoe County Detention Facility on the arson charge. The arrest comes as the region is still recovering from the Hawk, Bug, and Stallion Fires, which burned over 228,000 acres in August. The Hawk Fire, in particular, forced tens of thousands of residents to evacuate their homes. While officials previously stated these large fires were human-caused, the exact circumstances remain under investigation. The Bug and Stallion fires collectively destroyed dozens of homes across 93,733 and 40,691 acres, respectively.