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<\/p>\nREDDING, Calif. \u2014 Cal Fire reported a sharp rise in arson arrests in parts of the Northstate this year, saying added law enforcement staffing has allowed investigators to follow up on more human-caused fires.<\/p>\n
In Butte County, Cal Fire reported 30 arson arrests in 2025. So far this year, they’ve reported 24 arson arrests. Cal Fire’s Humboldt-Del Norte Unit had two arson arrests and four citations for misdemeanor fire law violations in 2025. This year, they reported one arson arrest and eight citations.<\/p>\n
Cal Fire’s Shasta-Trinity Unit went from 10 arson arrests and 23 other felony arrests in 2025 to 22 arson arrests and 34 other felony arrests in 2026. On September 16, their representatives announced that, during August of this year, Cal Fire Shasta-Trinity Unit Law Enforcement officers made six arrests in connection with vegetation fires determined to be human-caused, adding that some of these were people suspected of arson and recklessly causing fires to forest land.<\/p>\n
Matt Alexander, battalion chief of law enforcement with the Cal Fire Shasta-Trinity Unit, shared insight on why certain counties could have a higher number of arson arrests.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach Cal Fire jurisdictional boundary, which typically is a county boundary, can vary quite a bit. Demographics within those counties can vary quite a bit,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cSo, a large portion is, sometimes, the unhoused population in counties; they cause fires. And when they\u2019re doing illegal things on top of causing a fire, then it’s considered arson because they\u2019re in a place they shouldn’t be and doing activities they shouldn’t be doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Cal Fire Shasta-Trinity Unit staff member. (Courtesy: Cal Fire Shasta-Trinity Unit Law)<\/p>\n
Alexander said Cal Fire has gained additional staffing in their law enforcement bureau, so they\u2019ve been able to follow up on more fires and do more of the police work that reveals some motivations for people to ignite fires maliciously.<\/p>\n
He said arson could also be reckless or negligently caused, adding that the staffing boost has resulted from the growing litigation and consequences of fires burning homes and property.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe go from a patrol-type police model and then as soon as we get that arson-type fire, we turn into a detective, and we collect our own evidence and we do our own records processing,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cSo we really wear a lot of different hats, whereas traditional police departments have staffing that comes in and has evidence technicians, and they have the patrol aspect and then they have their detective division. So we kind of cover it all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alexander said that, with the wide skill set that their staff members have, they also have a good success rate of prosecution.<\/p>\n
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