Former Firefighter Who Admitted Setting California Fires Out Of Boredom Gets 5 Years
Benjamin Cunha, 33, of Placerville was sentenced to five years on prison on arson charges after admitting to setting at least 30 wildland fires in 2006 and 2007.
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Benjamin Cunha, 33, of Placerville was sentenced to five years on prison on arson charges after admitting to setting at least 30 wildland fires in 2006 and 2007.
California's firefighting agency has increased its warnings to thousands of property owners who aren't doing enough to protect their homes by clearing brush and other flammable materials. But it rarely puts any muscle behind the threats.
Scientists are projecting that it could be one of the strongest on record, and potentially bring heavy rains to Northern California from January through March.
Fire officials say two of the state's more destructive wildfires in recent memory are expected to be out by next week.
Any home near dry vegetation is at risk for fire, but Cal Fire maps show a higher risk in some areas, and not just in forested areas.
A couple who lost their home in the Valley Fire salvaged at least one precious item in the aftermath.
The bodies of two men reported missing within the burn area of the Valley Fire are believed to have been found, authorities say.
Authorities say a person has died in the Butte Fire.
The fire burning in Amador and Calaveras counties continues to grow, but so does containment.
Food, clothes and blankets – donations are piling up and getting put to use by those most in need. It's a rapid response for the hundreds left homeless by the Valley Fire.
The people in one community hit by the Valley Fire are showing they are resilient, their toughness is on display as they take on the fight of their lives.
The fire burning in Amador and Calaveras counties continues to grow, but so does containment.
The Butte Fire continues to rage, but it's already left its mark - thousands of acres of torched land and more than 80 homes destroyed.
Firefighters are battling a quickly growing fire in Lake County that has injured several fire personnel.
Hundreds of people rushing to escape a massive wildfire charging across the tinder-dry Sierra Nevada foothills said Saturday that they had to make wrenching decisions about what to save - pets, loved ones' ashes - and what to leave to possibly burn.
The Jerusalem Fire, which has been burning since August 9 in Lake County and has charred more than 25,000 acres, is 95 percent contained. Firefighters say they expect to have the fire 100 percent contained on Monday.
The three were demoted in January during a scandal at the agency's training academy in Ione, east of Sacramento. But two of the three were able to quickly receive new promotions back to their previous rank of fire captain.
Authorities revealed Wednesday that the destructive Rocky Fire was caused by a faulty gas water heater.
The Jerusalem Fire, which has been burning for more than a week about 100 miles north of San Francisco is 95 percent contained.
Days after nearly losing her summer home to one California wildfire, Nicole Ruff breathed a sigh of relief after learning that firefighters and a firebreak cleared by her husband had saved it from a second blaze.
Firefighters have made significant progress against a wind-stoked blaze in Northern California that has forced evacuations.
A wildfire burning 100 miles north of San Francisco has spread into Napa County as it expanded to 26 square miles.
Authorities have issued mandatory evacuations due to a growing fire in the Jerusalem Valley area, just south of the massive Rocky Fire.
All evacuations were lifted Saturday after cooler weather helped firefighters gain more ground against a Northern California wildfire that has forced hundreds of people from their homes.
About 800 of the thousands who fled a fierce Northern California wildfire were allowed to return home, but for some, the relief quickly turned to grief when they found only remnants of the places they left.
The rider of the electric unicycle was taken to the hospital with moderate injuries.
Waymo said a pregnant passenger headed to a San Francisco hospital ended up giving birth inside the self-driving vehicle. A remote employee also called 911 after being alerted to "unusual activity."
Officers were called around 2:20 p.m. Sunday for a report of an "angry man" wielding a knife at an apartment complex.
First responders are at the scene of a possible explosion at an apartment complex in Sacramento on Tuesday.
More than a week after the Stockton mass shooting that left four people dead, the investigators and city leaders gave an update about the investigation.
More than a week after the Stockton mass shooting that left four people dead, the investigators and city leaders gave an update about the investigation.
The rider of the electric unicycle was taken to the hospital with moderate injuries.
Officers were called around 2:20 p.m. Sunday for a report of an "angry man" wielding a knife at an apartment complex.
First responders are at the scene of a possible explosion at an apartment complex in Sacramento on Tuesday.
Waymo said a pregnant passenger headed to a San Francisco hospital ended up giving birth inside the self-driving vehicle. A remote employee also called 911 after being alerted to "unusual activity."
The rider of the electric unicycle was taken to the hospital with moderate injuries.
Sacramento police said the suspect was arrested by the California Highway Patrol in connection with a pursuit and firearm charges.
A man convicted of sexually assaulting a passenger on a Sacramento Regional Transit light rail train was sentenced to 35 years to life in prison, authorities said Monday.
Medical staff at the California International Marathon used a defibrillator to help a runner regain a pulse after she suffered a sudden cardiac arrest halfway through the race on Sunday.
Sacramento police are investigating a shooting that happened early Sunday morning near 8th and K streets.
California's public health department said one person has died and several others have suffered severe liver damage due to eating toxic mushrooms that were foraged.
FIFA announced the match-ups and times for the six World Cup 2026 games that will be played at Levi's Stadium.
The Trump administration will start sending more water to California farmers in the state's crop-rich Central Valley.
A California animal rights activist who took four chickens from a Perdue Farms poultry plant in Sonoma County was sentenced on Wednesday to 90 days in jail following her conviction in October.
California's essential health care facilities are wasting money on expensive contract labor amid chronic staffing shortages, even as agencies involved report hundreds of millions of dollars in savings from unfilled positions, a new report shows.
Jeff Kent was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame on Sunday by the contemporary era committee, while steroids-tainted stars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were among seven players who fell short once again.
Caden Pinnick threw two of his five touchdown passes to Zach Jones, Jordan Fisher had 140 yards rushing, which included a 50-yard touchdown run, and UC Davis beat Rhode Island 47-20 in the second round of the FCS playoffs.
FIFA announced the match-ups and times for the six World Cup 2026 games that will be played at Levi's Stadium.
The 2026 Men's World Cup will be held across the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.
The Athletics are on track to open their new Las Vegas stadium on time, officials said Thursday.
A Sacramento farmer is sounding the alarm over just how bad his year has been.
President Trump said Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is "not AMERICA FIRST or MAGA" and also attacked "60 Minutes" and Paramount in a social media post.
The new financial aid package is expected to shore up the U.S. agricultural sector, which has been hurt by tariffs and a trade war with China.
The Supreme Court heard arguments over the president's authority to remove members of many independent agencies that Congress has sought to insulate from political pressure.
The Supreme Court said Friday it will decide the legality of President Trump's executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship.
California's public health department said one person has died and several others have suffered severe liver damage due to eating toxic mushrooms that were foraged.
The plan is to embed street medicine training directly into residency programs across multiple hospitals.
Consumers with the imported pans should throw them away due to the severe health risks posed by lead, the agency warns.
Ray Cathey is on a journey from silence to new sounds. Cathey's hearing took a pounding when he was an air rescue paramedic during the Vietnam War.
ByHeart said it can't rule out that all of its baby formula across all product lots could be contaminated, citing recent test results.
Finding the perfect dress isn't easy, but now, selling them could become a lot more challenging.
This weekend, Placer County is hosting its annual Sip Into Spring event, offering free or discounted tastings at more than 20 wineries along what's known as the Placer Wine Trail.
From fruits and veggies to car parts, economists project that businesses will pass along the cost of the tariffs to customers.
An economic blackout was underway Friday as activists nationwide encouraged people not to spend their money at large corporations, retailers and fast-food chains for 24 hours.
San Joaquin County's retail theft reporting app has only been around for six months and is already bringing a sense of calmness to local business owners.
President Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom have made several different claims about California gas prices. Here's what we found.
This year-long investigation provides an unprecedented look at California's one-party supermajority legislature through the eyes of grieving parents who discover how California lawmakers kill popular bills by not voting.
This year-long investigation by CBS News California investigative correspondent Julie Watts examines the many components of California's new tougher-on-crime law.
A Natomas mother demanded that her daughter be exhumed and cremated after a Sacramento cemetery moved her grave without telling the family.
The California Highway Patrol captain accused of workers' compensation fraud was the commander in charge of the fatal Mahaney Park shootout in Roseville, three officers who worked under him at the time of the shootout said.
CBS13 and the Call Kurtis consumer investigative team devised an idea on how to lower what consumers owe on their credit cards -- and it begins with a simple phone call.
No one wants to think about death. However, it's important to plan on what happens to your digital assets after you die.
After spending $18,000 on waterproof laminate floors, a Natomas couple spotted damage after the first cleaning.
More than a year after Hai Pham canceled the trial membership, he kept getting charged every month for it.
A Natomas mother demanded that her daughter be exhumed and cremated after a Sacramento cemetery moved her grave without telling the family.
More than two dozen structures were destroyed in a wildfire in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains on Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
Clean-up has started in Chinese Camp after the TCU September Lightning Complex Fire ripped through the Gold Rush town earlier this month.
The fires burning in Calaveras and Tuolumne County caused air quality officials to issue a smoke advisory, warning people that the air quality may be unhealthy for sensitive groups.
The TCU Lightning Complex fires have burned nearly 14,000 acres in Central California, but in a Saturday update, Cal Fire said containment was at 42%.
A vegetation fire near El Dorado Hills broke out on Labor Day, quickly growing in size and prompting evacuations, officials said.
A Sacramento County dog picked up thousands of miles from home after he went missing five years ago was reunited with his family on Wednesday.
What started as a suspicious circumstances call for Rancho Cordova police ended with a newborn surprise.
A once-empty lot behind Church of the Cross in north Modesto now hosts a thriving community garden with more than 140 plots and growers from across the globe.
A Sacramento-area middle school history and English teacher is in the running to win big as America's Favorite Teacher, a title her students think she is more than worthy of being awarded.
Junior Romello Bruhn of Woodland Christian High School is closer than ever to scoring 3,000 career points, something only 13 high school athletes have accomplished in California state history.
The Elk Grove community is pushing to preserve the 90-acre Main Street district.
Charlie Lapastora reports on Stockton’s first city council meeting since the deadly mass shooting and what residents had to say at the meeting.
A rural community in Calaveras County is frustrated with Caltrans over a concrete median it installed on Highway 4.
Immigration advocates say members of the Afghan community in Sacramento have been detained by the Department of Homeland Security.
The San Joaquin County Sheriff said the investigation into who was responsible for a deadly mass shooting in Stockton could take months.