Case Of Alleged CA Arsonist Firefighter Mirrors 1991 Action Flick

A Central California community is in shock after a local firefighter was arrested for his alleged involvement in a string of recent fires. The case has similar vibes to a 1991 Ron Howard film that centered around a Chicago fire department and starred Robert Dinero, Kurt Russel, and William Baldwin.

This is an active case, and those being investigated are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

CAL FIRE law enforcement officials arrested over the weekend a 38-year-old Mendocino County firefighter for allegedly being behind multiple state fires earlier this summer, according to ABC NEWS. The station the man is presently employed with services an area approximately 140 miles north of San Francisco.

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The 2024 fire season has been another brutal one for the Golden State and began early this year. More than 700,000 acres had already been scorched by over 4,000 fires statewide before July ended, according to The Los Angeles Times. Arsonists come in all ages and nationalities, but it's not common for those suspected of intentionally starting fires to wear badges and helmets issued for the sole purpose of defending communities against blazes.

This case has a similar storyline to the 1991 movie Backdraft which followed a Chicago department's arson investigation. In the end (sorry for the spoiler), one of the department's own gets exposed for the crime. This is an active case, and those being investigated are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

(WARNING: BELOW VIDEO CONTAINS BAD LANGUAGE)