Alleged arsonist arrested for Temecula brush fire that burned 25 acres behind Callaway Winery
An alleged arsonist was arrested for starting a brush fire that burned 25 acres behind a Temecula winery on Sunday afternoon amid the region's popular Easter holiday festivities.
The fire, which has been dubbed the Serena Fire by firefighters, was reported at around 2:30 p.m. in the 32700 block of Rancho California Road, in an open field behind Callaway Vineyard and Winery and the Sommers Bend neighborhood.
Upon arrival, crews said the fire had burned between 5 and 10 acres and was "burning at a moderate rate of spread." By 4 p.m., they said that the fire had burned 25 acres. A short time later, they said that the forward rate of spread had been halted and that crews would remain on scene for several hours to fully contain the incident and mop up any lingering hot spots.
On Monday, Riverside County Sheriff's Office officials told CBS LA that deputies were called to assist after they received reports of a person who was seen near where the fire broke out.
"A search of the area was conducted, and with the assistance of the CalFire Arson Investigator, the suspect was located and taken into custody," deputies said.
The suspect was identified as 41-year-old Brian Gessel. He was booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center and is due in court on Wednesday, according to RSO. There was no information immediately available on the charges he may face or the motive behind the incident.
No evacuations were ordered during the battle.
No injuries have been reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
After the fire was extinguished, Callaway Winery shared a post on Instagram thanking Cal Fire crews for their quick work in containing the flames. In response to a comment on their post, Callaway employees said "only a few" grapevines were affected by the fire.
"Words cannot express how grateful we are for their dedication, skills and commitment to keeping our community safe!" the post said, noting that they would be closed for the rest of Sunday but reopened for business as usual come Monday.
Video posted by the winery showed a charred hillside just behind their expansive vineyard.
