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.
Macy's is undergoing a massive overhaul of its brick-and-mortar locations and Tracy is one of the locations that's affected.
Several lanes of eastbound Interstate 80 in the Vacaville area are blocked after a deadly crash Wednesday morning.
That independent investigation, conducted by Hanson Bridgett, was released on Friday and found no laws were broken and that Vice Mayor Jason Lee, who was part of the Wild N' Out show, did not commit any legal misconduct.
The meeting comes one day after Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said at a news conference, "If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark."
UC Davis announced it will downgrade its Division I varsity equestrian team to club sport status in favor of elevating another emerging women's sport to varsity this July.
Law enforcement officials in New Mexico announced the Emmy-winning actor turned himself in.
Macy's is undergoing a massive overhaul of its brick-and-mortar locations and Tracy is one of the locations that's affected.
On the heels of the Stockton mass shooting, victims of violence in Stockton are calling out Governor Gavin Newsom and his state budget: demanding dollars to help their community heal.
Work is continuing in Downtown Sacramento on building a new soccer stadium for the Republic FC, which is scheduled to open in 2027. But some people are protesting one of the ways that the new stadium is being funded.
Several lanes of eastbound Interstate 80 in the Vacaville area are blocked after a deadly crash Wednesday morning.
Work is continuing in Downtown Sacramento on building a new soccer stadium for the Republic FC, which is scheduled to open in 2027. But some people are protesting one of the ways that the new stadium is being funded.
It's been a grim start to the new year, with four more people dying over the weekend in car crashes on Sacramento streets. Traffic safety advocates say they happened on roads known for dangerous speeds and intersections.
There's another roadblock in seeking justice for a woman who was hit and nearly killed while riding her bike in Sacramento.
Around 9:15 p.m., deputies responded to the 2400 block of Larkspur Lane and found a man who had been shot once in the chest.
Law enforcement officials say a protest near the ICE building in downtown Sacramento led to vandalism but no arrests or confrontations with officers.
Kaiser Permanente has reached a lawsuit settlement over alleged patient data breaches involving Kaiser websites and mobile applications, with members eligible to receive a payment from a $46 million settlement fund, the health care giant announced.
Current drought maps are showing California is drought-free for the first time in 25 years.
A man convicted in a retail theft spree across 11 Northern California counties between 2023 and 2025 was sentenced to prison on Wednesday, authorities said.
This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new vaccination guidelines and now, some western states are telling people they're too dangerous to follow.
A federal appeals panel has ruled that a California law prohibiting open carry of firearms in heavily populated counties is unconstitutional.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan stated that the goal is for Warner to return "next week," referencing a potential NFC Championship Game if the 49ers were to advance past the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday.
Malik Monk made seven 3-pointers and scored 26 points to help the Sacramento Kings to a 124-112 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.
The U.S. Trademark Office is rejecting the A's request to trademark the "Sacramento Athletics" name.
DeMar DeRozan had 22 points and became the 23rd player in NBA history to reach 26,000 points, helping the Sacramento Kings beat the Houston Rockets 111-98 on Sunday night.
The Eagles were eliminated from the playoffs in a 23-19 loss to the 49ers in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
The meeting comes one day after Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said at a news conference, "If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark."
The White House defended a video that appeared to show President Trump flipping off a person who yelled at him while touring a Ford factory in Michigan on Tuesday.
President Trump told CBS News he believes the woman killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, was likely a "very, solid wonderful person," but her actions before she was killed were "pretty tough."
"We don't want to see what's happening in Iran happen," President Trump said in an exclusive interview that aired Tuesday on "CBS Evening News."
Two cities in the San Francisco Bay Area are facing a lawsuit brought on by the Trump administration seeking to end their bans on natural gas in new buildings.
Kaiser Permanente has reached a lawsuit settlement over alleged patient data breaches involving Kaiser websites and mobile applications, with members eligible to receive a payment from a $46 million settlement fund, the health care giant announced.
After the ACA tax credit lapsed in December, enrollees are opting for less robust health plans or dropping coverage altogether.
Health officials in Sonoma County are urging the community to not eat and forage for wild mushrooms, following the poisoning death of a county resident.
This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new vaccination guidelines and now, some western states are telling people they're too dangerous to follow.
New research recommends against drinking coffee or tea served by airlines, urging travelers to stick to bottled water.
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.
San Joaquin County secured a grant aimed at helping to build a wildfire protection plan for the entire county.
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 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.
Ashley Sharp reports.
Work is continuing in Downtown Sacramento on building a new soccer stadium for the Republic FC, which is scheduled to open in 2027. But some people are protesting one of the ways that the new stadium is being funded.
Coach Brown reflected on his time in Sacramento with the Kings.
Jake Gadon reports.
Law enforcement officials in New Mexico announced Tuesday that Timothy Busfield, an Emmy-winning actor and founder of Sacramento's B Street Theatre, turned himself in following accusations of child sex abuse.