A 40-year-old man has been charged with arson for allegedly starting a fire in Northern California that destroyed 175 homes and forced mass evacuations. The suspect, identified as Damin Anthony Pashilk of Clearlake, California, faces 17 counts of arson for numerous fires he allegedly started throughout the past year. The most recent one, near Clayton Creek, has burned more than 4,000 acres and remains only 5 percent contained since it started Saturday, authorities said. “It is a tragic thing whenever we identify any individual who intentionally starts a fire,” said Ken Pimlott, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
