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A 40-year-old man was arrested Monday in connection with a destructive wildfire that has forced thousands of people from their homes in Northern California.
Damin Anthony Pashilk, 40, of Clearlake was booked on suspicion of 17 counts of arson, according to a news release from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
Pashilk is implicated in the Clayton Fire as well as several other fires in Lake County during the past year, the release stated.
The Clayton Fire has scorched 4,000 acres so far, the Clayton Fire Department said, with 5% of it contained.
Residents in Lower Lake and Clearlake have been evacuated, according Cal Fire. The area sits around 130 miles north of San Francisco.
“The fire is burning aggressively towards the north, crossing Morgan Valley Road and Cache Creek, and is impacting the communities of Lower Lake and Clearlake,” Cal Fire said.
As many as 1,500 homes are threatened by the fire, Cal Fire said, while at least 175 structures are damaged or destroyed.
Mike McGuire, State Senator for California’s North Bay, tweeted that the fire had reached Lower Lake’s Main Street.
An estimated 1,664 firefighters have been deployed, according to CNN affiliate KGO, but Sunday’s afternoon winds and extremely dry conditions were complicating efforts.
“You have the dryness of the fuels,” Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said, according to KGO.”You have the weather concerning us right now as the winds – and you have the topography that makes it very difficult.”
The area already suffered huge blazes last year when the Valley, Jerusalem and Rocky Fires broke out, taking several lives and destroying thousands of homes.
“The residents of Lake County have experienced senseless loss and endured significant hardship over the past year,” Cal Fire Director Ken Pimlott said. “Mr. Pashilk committed a horrific crime and we will seek prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. My thoughts continue to be with the people of Lake County during this difficult time.”
Cal Fire announced they had also secured federal funding from FEMA to help to battle the blaze.
KTXL’s Ali Wolf contributed to this story.
