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.
A protest tied to the national "No Kings" movement is expected to take place Saturday at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
The mother credited with helping stop an alleged Elk Grove park peeper is speaking out about the crime.
The Fairfield community surrounding Travis Air Force Base knows all too well the realities and uncertainties that come with wartime.
The excitement of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament has officially arrived in Sacramento, and fans were feeling every bit of the madness.
Andrés Giménez drove in the winning run with a two-out single in the ninth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Athletics 3-2 on Friday night.
The excitement of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament has officially arrived in Sacramento, and fans were feeling every bit of the madness.
A protest tied to the national "No Kings" movement is expected to take place Saturday at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
A freight train derailment near Reno saw more than a dozen railcars crash off the tracks Friday morning.
The mother credited with helping stop an alleged Elk Grove park peeper is speaking out about the crime.
The Fairfield community surrounding Travis Air Force Base knows all too well the realities and uncertainties that come with wartime.
SMF says it's aware of reports that ICE agents are being used to assist TSA at other airports during this time but noted that as of Monday, it has no plans to use federal immigration officials for support.
Parts of Downtown Sacramento have sidewalks that are 150 years old, and next week, city leaders will consider spending more than $1 million to help restore them.
A teachers' strike at the Natomas Unified School District in Sacramento ended Thursday morning, after both sides announced a tentative agreement.
There's a push to start charging property owners who have vacant buildings or undeveloped land in Sacramento, but some are concerned that new fees could discourage development.
More than a dozen people have been killed by cars so far this year on Sacramento streets, and on Tuesday night, the city council debated what can be done to reduce future fatalities.
California will now observe March 31 as Farmworkers Day after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation on Thursday officially renaming what has been known as Cesar Chavez Day after sexual assault allegations against the late labor leader came to light.
A lawsuit against Walgreens stores over alleged price-scanner and expired-product violations in California has resulted in the company agreeing to pay $6 million and to institute a new price guarantee to settle a lawsuit by multiple counties.
Lawmakers in the California state legislature said they are moving to designate "Farmworkers Day" as a state holiday following sexual abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez.
A Chilean national on Monday pleaded guilty to a string of bank and ATM robberies for his role in a robbery crew using sophisticated tactics to steal more than $5 million in California, Oregon and Washington, prosecutors announced on Tuesday.
Serious allegations against late labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez have prompted the union he co-founded to abstain from this year's Cesar Chavez Day activities.
The excitement of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament has officially arrived in Sacramento, and fans were feeling every bit of the madness.
Andrés Giménez drove in the winning run with a two-out single in the ninth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Athletics 3-2 on Friday night.
Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer in the sixth to end an 0-for-7 start to his season after the two-time reigning AL MVP had a strike call overturned by the automated system earlier in that same at-bat when he challenged, and the New York Yankees beat the San Francisco Giants 3-0.
Former All-Pro center Barret Robbins, largely known for leaving the Oakland Raiders' team hotel on the eve of their most recent Super Bowl appearance in 2003, has died at 52.
Paolo Banchero had 30 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as the Orlando Magic stopped a six-game losing streak with a 111-107 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday.
More than 7 million student loan borrowers who've been enrolled in a Biden-era repayment plan will receive notices with instructions to seek a new plan to repay their debt.
Ten U.S. service members were injured in an attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, according to multiple U.S. officials.
The House passed a measure to fund the Department of Homeland Security for 60 days — but it's still unclear how the shutdown will end as the Senate, which approved its own funding plan, is on recess.
President Trump said he will sign an executive order to restart pay for TSA officers, who have gone more than a month without a full paycheck.
The Treasury Department plans to add President Trump's signature to new U.S. paper currency, a first for a sitting president.
Food containing norovirus may smell and taste normal but still cause serious illness if consumed, FDA warns.
HHS Secretary RFK Jr. wants the popular coffee chains to prove their surgery drinks are safe for teens and suggested the Trump administration could place limits on your cup of coffee.
Public health officials say they've confirmed two cases of measles in Sacramento County.
Multiple elephant seal pups along the Northern California coast have tested positive for the deadly avian influenza, or bird flu, according to new research from the University of California.
Here's what to know about TrumpRx, including how it works, who can use it, and how much money it can save.
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.
Six months after a California wildfire destroyed dozens of homes in the Tuolumne County community of Chinese Camp, officials say debris removal is now complete and properties are being returned to their owners.
A man has been arrested and charged in connection with the Tiger Fire that burned 118 acres in California's Amador County last summer and forced evacuations near Pioneer.
A major home developer is rethinking how communities are built in wildfire-prone areas and the future is taking shape in El Dorado County.
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.
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 mother credited with helping stop an alleged Elk Grove park peeper is speaking out about the crime.
Ashley Sharp reports.
The excitement of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament has officially arrived in Sacramento, and fans were feeling every bit of the madness.
A doctor who specializes in sports medicine shares some tips on how to keep the kids off the injury list.
Gov. Gavin Newsom warned 15 cities to comply with the state housing requirements or get sued.