Holy Fire arson suspect makes first court appearance
The man accused of starting the 18,137 acre “Holy Fire” burning in Riverside and Orange County made his first court appearance on Friday.
Forrest Gordon Clark, 51, is charged with aggravated arson damaging at least five inhabited structures, arson of inhabited property, arson of forest and criminal threats, all felonies, as well as two misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest, according to Assistant District Attorney Chris Duff.
Clark could face 10 years to life in prison. He also faces sentencing enhancements for arson of multiple structures.
Clark refused to leave his jail cell Thursday, but he appeared in court in Santa Ana Friday. His arraignment was postponed until Aug. 17, but Clark made several outbursts in court, calling the charges against him a “lie” and claiming that he was being threatened. When his bail was ordered to
remain at $1 million, he said he could “easily” pay that amount right away.
When investigators went to question Clark earlier this week, he abrasively told them they weren’t allowed on his property in Holy Jim Canyon, the flashpoint of the fire, Duff said. He is accused of threatening his neighbors, including one whose cabin burned down an hour later, Duff said.
During a Wednesday afternoon briefing, Orange County Fire Authority Battalion Chief Shane Sherwood said the fire began “around and near” Clark’s cabin 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 the massive blaze.
Volunteer Fire Chief Mike Milligan, who also has a cabin in the area, told the Orange County Register 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.
Clark spoke to a videographer from OnScene outside his Holy Jim Canyon prior to his arrest, insisting he had nothing to do with the fire.
“I have no idea,” Clark said during the rambling interview. “I was asleep. I had two earplugs in.”
He added: “I woke up and my stuff was all on fire,” he said.
He claimed during the interview that he was the target of threats from the MS-13 gang.
Since it erupted Monday afternoon, the blaze has destroyed a dozen cabins in the Holy Jim Canyon area of the Cleveland National Forest and advanced into Riverside County. As of Friday morning the number of destroyed structures officially remained at 12.
More than 7,400 homes and structures and 21,484 people were evacuated in both counties, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
“For those wondering about containment, the hand/containment line grows as the fire grows,” according to a statement from the U.S. Forest Service. “We continue to actively engage, but cannot get ahead of the fire.”
As the fire advanced into Riverside County, mandatory evacuation orders were issued for McVicker Canyon, Rice Canyon, Horsethief Canyon, Glen Eden, El Cariso Village, Sycamore Creek and Rancho Capistrano, along with the Ortega (74) Highway corridor from the Lookout restaurant to the Nichols
Institute.
Voluntary evacuations were also issued in the Shoreline Community, in an area between Grand Avenue and the South Main Divide road, between roughly Ortega Highway and Garner Road.
All schools in the Lake Elsinore Unified, Menifee Unified, Perris Union High School and Perris Elementary School districts in Riverside County were closed Friday due to poor air quality caused by the fire.
Caltrans ordered the complete closure of Ortega Highway because of the proximity of the brush fire to the two-lane corridor. California Highway Patrol officers implemented the closure from Grand Avenue in Lake Elsinore to the Nichols Institute entrance in San Juan Capistrano in Orange County,
covering about 28 miles.
Trabuco and Holy Jim canyons were also under mandatory evacuation orders, as well as the Blue Jay and El Cariso campgrounds. 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.
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 taken to Animal Friends of the Valley at 33751 Mission Trail in Wildomar. Information is 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. For those under mandatory evacuation, animals large and small can also be taken to Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park, 30753 La Plata Road in San Juan Capistrano.
Livestock was being accepted at Elsinore High School in the 21800 block of Canyon Drive.
Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for Orange and Riverside counties Thursday due to the effects of the Holy Fire, allowing the state Office of Emergency Services to provide assistance to the counties.
The proclamation also waives various requirements for state agencies to procure materials, goods and services to assist with the response and recovery from the impacts of the fire, suspends the one-week waiting period to apply for unemployment benefits for people who have lost their jobs because of
the fire, allows people who have lost their driver’s license, vehicle registration certificate or certificate of title for their vehicles because of the fire to get free replacements and to get free replacements of birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates destroyed by the fire.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory through Saturday morning for portions of Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties because of the Holy Fire.
Two firefighters were treated for heat-related injuries Monday. Two other firefighters were reportedly injured Thursday while fighting the blaze near Lake Elsinore and Horsethief Canyon.
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