As Ranch Fire roared, men refused to evacuate — they had pot plants to water, cops say

As firefighters battled a Northern California wildfire on Saturday, they encountered three men in a pickup truck who refused to evacuate, Lake County authorities say.

Firefighters had to divert three air tanker passes trying to prevent the Ranch Fire from engulfing the town of Lucerne as a result, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook.

The men, who firefighters described as “hostile,” were tending a marijuana crop just 20 yards from the fire line, according to the post. When deputies summoned by fire crews arrived, they found the men watering pot plants.

Gary Thomas Wertheimer, 41, and Travis Steven Bell, 29, both of Nice; and Steven Marshall Bell, 59, of Redwood Valley were arrested on suspicion of interfering with firefighters and not having authorization to be in an evacuation zone, deputies wrote. They were released with citations.

Travis Bell was photographed by deputies wearing a Redwood Valley Fire Department shirt, but officials with the agency later posted to Facebook to say he had no connection to it.

“The members of this department take our responsibility to serve our community extremely serious and would never condone this behavior,” Redwood Valley fire officials wrote.

The Ranch Fire, part of the Mendocino Complex, has burned 207,319 acres, according to Cal Fire. The blaze, which began July 27, is 23 percent contained. Together with the River Fire, it has destroyed 130 structures, including 68 homes, and threatens 15,300 structures.

This story was originally published August 5, 2018 at 2:10 PM with the headline "As Ranch Fire roared, men refused to evacuate — they had pot plants to water, cops say."