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WASHOE COUNTY, Nev. (KCRA) — A 47-year-old woman was arrested and taken into custody for allegedly starting the Freds Mountain Fire, the sheriff’s office announced on Tuesday.
Investigators said that Christine Mitchell left a residence near the 1300 block of Freds Mountain Road in Nevada and started multiple fires in the area, the sheriff’s office said.
As emergency crews responded to the Freds Mountain Fire shortly after it began, Mitchell flagged down responding crews and told them she had intentionally started the fire, the sheriff’s office said.
Emergency crews then transferred Mitchell into the custody of the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.
Following an investigation, authorities developed probable cause to arrest Mitchell on charges of 3rd-degree arson and possession of a controlled substance under 14 grams.
The Freds Mountain Fire is one of two wildfires that have since merged along the California-Nevada border. The fire merged with the Bug Fire, which is no longer burning in California, but remains active in Nevada.
“I am proud of the work our deputies and detectives put into this investigation and thankful for the coordination with our fire service partners,” Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said. “Starting another fire while crews were already committed to an active wildfire placed additional strain on emergency resources and unnecessarily threatened additional portions of our community. We will continue to thoroughly investigate this incident and hold the individual responsible accountable.”
Anyone with information related to this incident, or who may have observed suspicious activity associated with the Fred Mountain Fire, is urged to contact the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.
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