Arrest of Lower Lake man for causing a fire to structure/forest
Public Information Release
August 10, 2015
Lieutenant Steve Brooks, Public Information Officer
On August 9, 2015 at approximately 5:43 pm, deputies responded to the area of Jerusalem Grade in the area of Hidden Valley for a reported wildfire. The fire was reported to have grown to approximately 3000 acres and was threatening several residences. Deputies were conducting mandatory evacuations of residences in the Jerusalem Grade and Jerusalem Valley area.
Deputies noticed that a large fire had ignited in the area close to their location and responded to a residence located in the 15000 block of Spruce Grove Road, where the fire was believed to have originated from. They noticed a large marijuana grow site on the property, within 50 ft. of the residence. Deputies contacted several witnesses at the residence who said the property owner, Juan Ramos Silva, had started the fire.
Deputies located Silva who admitted to starting the fire on his property. Silva explained he started the fire to prevent the Jerusalem Fire from reaching his residence. The deputies noticed that Silva had started the fire behind his marijuana grow to protect his plants, not his residence. Silva also said he had been a fire fighter in Mexico years ago and had attempted to conduct a “controlled burn” of the back of his property to protect it from burning.
Silva was arrested for causing a fire to a structure and/or a forest. He was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked. .
Address/Location
Lake County CA Sheriff's Department
1220 Martin St
Lakeport, CA 95453
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 707-263-2690