Jerusalem Fire grows to 5,000 acres; man arrested for arson nearby

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. (KTVU) – As a wildfire in Lake County grew to 5,000 acres, a man was arrested for setting a nearby fire. 

The Jerusalem Fire started burning near Jerusalem Valley Road on Sunday afternoon, and grew by 2,000 acres overnight. It's burning a few miles south of the Rocky Fire.

According to Cal Fire, officers arrested 41-year-old Juan Ramos Silva of Lower Lake for setting a nearby backfire. Cal Fire says the fire was not related to the cause of the Jerusalem Fire or the Rocky Fire.

Silva admitted to starting the fire to protect his property. According to Cal Fire, deputies noticed that Silva had started the fire behind his marijuana grow to protect his plants, not his home.

“This is the fifth arrest our officers have made in just the past two weeks,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE Director. “Especially now with the dry conditions from the drought, we will absolutely not tolerate arson of any type and will track down those suspected of causing harm to our communities.”

Meanwhile, mandatory evacuations are underway for the Jerusalem Valley area, east of Spruce Grove Road. Jerusalem Valley Road is closed at Spruce Grove Road.

An evacuation center is set up at Middletown High School.

Firefighters are doing everything they can to keep the fire from spreading.

Several miles north, firefighters battling the Rocky Fire are making progress.

The fire is now 85 percent contained, and all evacuation orders have been lifted.

It has burned 69,000 acres, and destroyed 43 homes since it started on July 29th.

Cal Fire hopes to have it fully contained by Thursday. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.