– Oroville resident arrested for starting fires during Thompson Fire
– Oroville local arrested for setting backfires during Thompson Fire.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Man Arrested for Allegedly Starting Risky Backfire During Thompson Fire in Butte County
A man was taken into custody on Tuesday after being accused of igniting a dangerous backfire in Butte County as firefighters battled the Thompson Fire.
The Thompson Fire erupted at approximately 11 a.m. on Tuesday near Cherokee Road in the northeastern region of Oroville before rapidly spreading across the area.
Later that same day, authorities observed a man setting a backfire on a property located off Oro Quincy Highway, according to a statement from Cal Fire.
Backfires are a firefighting technique used to create a controlled burn along the inner edge of a fireline to eliminate the fuel in the path of an active fire, with the aim of containing the fire’s expansion or altering its direction.
Upon responding to the scene, Cal Fire officers found the individual, identified as 61-year-old Harold Pulley, near a quarter acre of scorched vegetation. Firefighters promptly extinguished the flames.
Authorities stated that Pulley confessed to starting the backfire using a propane torch. Cal Fire highlighted that the backfire set by Pulley posed a significant risk to both the public and property in the vicinity.
Following the incident, Pulley was apprehended and booked into the Butte County jail on a felony charge of unlawfully causing a fire to a wildland area.
For more information on how to effectively prepare for wildfires in California, refer to the comprehensive wildfire safety guide available here.
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Oroville resident arrested for setting backfires during Thompson Fire
Resident arrested for setting backfires during Thompson Fire in Oroville.