Two arson suspects wanted after wildfire started beneath Foresthill Bridge in Placer County
Cal Fire investigators are seeking information about two suspected arsonists, who were observed lighting a fire on Saturday along the walking trail beneath the Foresthill Bridge in Placer County.
Firefighters extinguished the fire after it burned three acres near the Lake Clementine Trail. Images shared by the Cal Fire’s Nevada-Yuba-Placer unit showed smoke pluming from within the steep, forested canyon where the fire started.
The Foresthill Bridge crosses the North Fork of the American River, east of Auburn. Below the bridge, the river meets the Middle Fork of the American River. The bridge is the state’s tallest standing over 730 feet above the river and is a popular recreation area in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
This summer, Placer County officials announced that the bridge would undergo ultrasonic testing to ensure its 282 welds are secure. The preventative maintenance project on the 51-year-old bridge will cost $6.3 million.
The two people seen leaving the area walked toward the parking lot near the Confluence after igniting the fire at approximately 5:30 p.m., Cal Fire said. The fire was contained in less than an hour.
Authorities said anyone with information about the suspects or the fire should call investigators at 530-889-0111, ext. 1022.
