Arrest Made of Suspect in Wildfires

A man suspected of setting wildfires around the state over the past several years was arrested Sunday after he allegedly set a fire near Auberry.

James Haag, 50, was charged with setting the five-acre Powerhouse fire. The fire was quickly extinguished because officers from the U.S. Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry were watching the suspect, Forestry Department Battalion Chief Ron Subia said.

Investigators say the suspect is believed to be responsible for sparking the still-burning California 180 fire near Dunlap, called the Highway fire, and the California 168 fire near Meadow Lakes last year, Subia said. Witnesses reported seeing Haag at both fires.

The 4,152-acre Highway fire was 85% contained Wednesday, officials said. The number of fire personnel battling the blaze fell to 869 firefighters Tuesday, down from 1,039 Monday.

Both fires cost more than $8 million to fight.

Haag is also a suspect in past wild land fires in Mariposa County, eastern Santa Cruz County and Southern California, Subia said. He also is believed to have set various structure fires in Fresno County over the last eight years, Subia said.

Subia refused to provide details of other fires thought to have been set by Haag, but said he is not a suspect in current Southern California fires.

So far, Haag has been charged only with setting the Powerhouse fire and with being a felon in possession of a handgun. He remains in Fresno County Jail on $500,000 bail.

No motive has been established, but Haag has convictions for arson and has served sentences in state prison and the California Youth Authority, Subia said.