Holy Fire: Arson Suspect Held, Fire Grows To 6,200 Acres

TRABUCO CANYON, CA -- An arson suspect was held on $1 million bail Wednesday as a fast-moving wildfire spread from Orange County to Riverside County, burning more than 6,200 acres, forcing evacuations and destroying structures. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Holy Fire was just 5 percent contained.

Officials said Forrest Gordon Clark was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of two counts of felony arson, one felony count of threat to terrorize and a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest.

During a Wednesday afternoon briefing, Orange County Fire Authority Battalion Chief Shane Sherwood said the fire began "around and near" Clark's cabin Monday in Holy Jim Canyon. He declined to comment on specifics that led to his arrest, other than saying witness statements and "physical findings" at the scene led to the belief Clark set off the massive blaze.

"As far as exactly how it was started, we're still working through some of that evidence," Sherwood said.

Volunteer Fire Chief Mike Milligan, who also lives in the area, told the Orange County Register that Clark has long feuded with a neighbor and other cabin owners. He ran through the area last week screaming, and sent Milligan an email warning that "this place will burn," Milligan said.

Sherwood declined to comment on that report.

Clark is tentatively expected to appear in court Thursday. A spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney's Office said he is expected to be charged with aggravated arson affecting multiple structures, criminal threats and resisting an executive officer -- charges that could bring a life prison sentence.

A U.S. Forest Service spokesman said more than a dozen cabins in Clark's neighborhood had burned. Clark's cabin, however, was not damaged by the fire, the Orange County Register reported.

Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer had harsh words for Clark, saying that if he is convicted he "needs to suffer the fullest punishment of the law."

"This is a monster," Spitzer said. "Who would go out with low humidity and high winds and the highest heat temperatures this time of the year and intentionally set the forest on fire? ... He's literally destroyed our forest."

Spitzer said the Holy Fire should be more appropriately named the "Holy Hell" fire.

The following areas were under mandatory evacuations as of Wednesday afternoon:

• Trabuco and Holy Jim canyons
• Blue Jay and El Cariso campgrounds
• Mcvickers
• Rice Canyon
• Horsethief
• Glen Eden
• El Cariso Village
• Sycamore
• Rancho Capistrano

All campgrounds in the Trabuco Ranger District were closed and forest road closures were in effect for Trabuco Creek, Maple Springs, North Main Divide, Bedford and Indian Truck Trail.

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A care and reception center was established at Temescal Canyon High School on El Toro Road in Lake Elsinore. An evacuation center is also open at San Juan Hills High School at 29211 Stallion Ridge in San Juan Capistrano.

Small Animals can be evacuated to Animal Friends of the Valley at 33751 Mission Trail in Wildomar. Information was available by calling (951) 674- 0618 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. or (951) 506-5069 between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m.

The fire is one of several to burn Wednesday in California with the largest wildfire in state history in Mendocino County. Two wildfires known as the Mendocino Complex Fire have burned more than 263,000 acres, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate.

The deadliest wildfire continues to be the Carr Fire in Shasta County where seven people have so far died. That blaze has burned more than 173,000 acres and destroyed 1,500 structures.

--City News Service contributed to this report

-- Fire photo courtesy of Matthew Hoag/Booking photo courtesy of U.S. Forest Service