Cal Fire Firefighter Jailed On Suspicion Of Starting 5 Fires

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A Cal Fire engineer was arrested Friday on suspicion of igniting multiple area fires while he was off-duty, Cal Fire said.

Law enforcement officers with Cal Fire arrested Robert Hernandez, 38, of Healdsburg, around 8 a.m. Friday at Howard Forest Fire Station. Hernandez is suspected of arson to forest land in the areas surrounding Geyserville, Healdsburg and Windsor.

Specifically, Cal Fire said, Hernandez is suspected of starting five fires while he was off duty:

• the Alexander Fire on Aug. 15, 2024,
• the Windsor River Road Fire on Sept. 8, 2024,
• the Geysers Fire on Sept. 12, 2024,
• the Geyser fire on Sept. 14, 2024,
• Kinley fire on Sept. 14, 2024.

Combined, the five fires burned less than an acre of wildland thanks to the quick actions of residents and fire suppression resources, Cal Fire said.

Hernandez was expected to be booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of charges of arson to forest land.

"I am appalled to learn one of our employees would violate the public’s trust and attempt to tarnish the tireless work of the 12,000 women and men of CAL FIRE," said Cal Fire Director/Fire Chief Joe Tyler.

Jail records showed that Hernandez's bail was set at $2 million. He is due in court on Tuesday morning.

Cal Fire thanked residents of the affected communities for "their vigilance and information which helped in the apprehension of the suspect."

In addition to Hernandez, Cal Fire law enforcement officers have made 91 arrests for suspected arson since Sept. 1.

Since 2016, there have been 923 such arrests as part of the Department’s ongoing commitment to fire prevention efforts.

"Residents should be vigilant in their preparedness and aware of suspicious persons when a fire does start," Cal Fire officials said. "Suspicious activity should be reported including the time, individual’s physical description, and a vehicle description, including the license plate number. Always contact law enforcement, never approach a suspicious person."

Cal Fire has an arson hotline for anonymous tips. The number is 1-800-468-4408.

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