LOMA RICA, Calif. — Cal Fire responded to a report of a woman wearing black clothing and starting fires along Scott Grant Road near Beacon Lane in Loma Rica on May 19.
When Cal Fire responded, crews said they saw a woman fitting the description from the reports fleeing the fire scene. Cal Fire said they found 11 fires started on a property on Scott Grant Road and two more nearby on the same road.
According to Yuba County Jail records, county deputies arrested Julie Stewart, 23, on arson charges and possession of a controlled substance. Stewart was booked into Yuba County Jail and was being held on $100,000 bail.
Cal Fire law enforcement, the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Yuba County Sheriff Office interviewed multiple people at the scene of the fires as part of the investigation.
WILDFIRE PREPS
According to Cal Fire, 2020 was one of the most severe fire seasons on record as 9,917 wildfires burned 4.2 million acres. Over 9,000 structures were destroyed, and 31 people (civilians and firefighters) were killed.
California also experienced its first "Gigafire" because of the August Complex Fire, burning over 1 million acres by itself. Four of California's top five largest wildfires in state history happened in 2020.
If you live in a wildfire-prone zone, Cal Fire suggests creating a defensible space around your home. Defensible space is an area around a building in which vegetation and other debris are completely cleared. At least 100 feet is recommended.
The Department of Homeland Security suggests assembling an emergency kit that has important documents, N95 respirator masks, supplies to grab with you if you’re forced to leave at a moment’s notice. The agency also suggests signing up for local warning system notifications and know your community’s evacuation plans best to prepare yourself and your family in cases of wildfires.
Some counties use Nixle alerts to update residents on severe weather, wildfires, and other news. To sign up, visit www.nixle.com or text your zip code to 888777 to start receiving alerts.
PG&E customers can also subscribe to alerts via text, email, or phone call. If you're a PG&E customer, visit the Profile & Alerts section of your account to register.
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Alexandra Huynh, 18, is a second-generation Vietnamese American from Sacramento, California, who sees poetry as a means to self-expression and social justice.
