Cal Fire arrests Modesto man accused of starting wildfire in El Dorado County
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- Cal Fire arrested a Modesto man on suspicion of starting a 2‑acre wildfire.
- The man remained in jail with bail amount set at $40,000.
- Firefighters found and aided the man, then law enforcement officials questioned him.
Cal Fire law enforcement officers arrested a Modesto man accused of starting a 2-acre wildfire early Friday in El Dorado County after he was found near the fire area the following day.
The 53-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a felony charge of causing a fire to a structure or forest land, according to a news release from the Cal Fire Amador-El Dorado Unit.
He remained in custody Monday afternoon at the El Dorado County Jail with his bail amount set at $40,000, jail records show. His arraignment hearing not yet been scheduled in El Dorado Superior Court.
The blaze, known as the Deep Fire, was reported early Friday in the Pollock Pines area of El Dorado County. Cal Fire crews were in the area the following day looking for any smoldering spots when they spotted a suspicious person later identified as the Modesto man.
The man told the firefighters that he had been disoriented in the area for the previous two days, Cal Fire officials said. The firefighters helped him out of the canyon and evaluated him medically, along with giving him food and water.
Cal Fire law enforcement officers questioned the Modesto man and determined he was “responsible for intentionally and recklessly igniting the vegetation fire,” according to the news release.
This story was originally published March 23, 2026 at 5:55 PM.
