Authorities in Nevada say they arrested a suspected arsonist after he allegedly sparked a new brush fire near the California-Nevada border, not far from the region where more than 200,000 acres have already been scorched.
Damien Pineda-Contreras, 29, was taken into custody over the weekend in north Reno and booked on a felony count of third-degree arson after deputies allegedly found him with lighter fluid and fire-starting materials, according to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident began when deputies spotted a vehicle pulling onto the road from an empty dirt lot near the roundabout at Dandini Boulevard and Spectrum Boulevard — with its headlights turned off, the sheriff’s office said.
Moments later, deputies noticed a small brush fire burning in the same area where the vehicle had just been seen leaving.
Deputies moved quickly to extinguish the flames and later said the fire appeared to have started from split wooden logs arranged in a teepee-like stack amid the surrounding sagebrush.
Fire crews were also called to the scene to confirm the blaze had been fully contained and no longer posed a danger, the department said.
A short time after the fire was discovered, deputies located Pineda-Contreras at a nearby business and approached him, according to investigators.
During a search of the front cab of his vehicle, deputies said they found multiple split wooden logs, a container of lighter fluid and tumbleweed-style fire starters.
Deputies also discovered several lighters and boxes of matches.
Pineda-Contreras was taken to the Washoe County Detention Facility, where he was booked on the arson charge.
He’s accused of sparking the blaze as a series of wildfires raged in area, forcing mass evacuations.
The combined Hawk, Bug, and Stallion Fires burning in August scorched more than 228,000 acres before firefighters got them under control.
The Hawk Fire exploded in Verdi on the Nevada-California border and and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes before it was mostly contained.
The Bug blaze burned 93,733 acres while the Stallion fire scorched another 40,691 acres, together destroying dozens of homes.
Officials said the three wildfires were started by humans, but the exact circumstances are still under investigation.
