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California criminal justice professor, 47, is arrested for arson spree near Dixie Fire in scorched state

Gary Maynard, 47, a former professor of criminology at Sonoma State University, was arrested on August 7 and is being accused of starting a series of fires near the Dixie Fire

Gary Maynard, 47, a former professor of criminology at Sonoma State University, was arrested on August 7 and is being accused of starting a series of fires near the Dixie Fire 

A criminal justice professor who reportedly suffered from split personality was arrested for starting a series of fires near the devastating Dixie Fire in California that nearly ravaged an entire town. 

Gary Stephan Maynard, 47, is accused of deliberately starting the Ranch Fire, according to a criminal complaint from the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California.  

He is also being investigated for starting other fires in the area, CNN reported. 

Maynard taught criminal justice and deviant behavior seminars at Sonoma State University last fall. He was filling in for a faculty member and was not rehired for the Spring 2021 semester. 

Last October, a concerned colleague of Maynard called San Jose Police and alerted them that he was suffering from 'depression, anxiety, split personality and wanted to kill himself,' court records show.

Maynard also taught sociology at Santa Clara University from September 2019 to December 2020.  

Sonoma State University appears to have since removed Maynard's faculty page. 

Maynard was arrested on August 7 in the Lassen National Forest, near the Conard Fire, which he is suspected of also igniting just hours before.  

'Over the course of the last several weeks, Maynard has set a series of fires in the vicinity of the Lassen National Forest and Shasta Trinity National Forest,' Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson told a judge Tuesday in demanding Maynard be denied bail. 

'The area in which Maynard chose to set his fires is near the ongoing Dixie fire, a fire which is still not contained despite the deployment and efforts of over 5,000 personnel,' Anderson said.

Over 27 days, the Dixie Fire - the largest in the wildfire-ravaged states history, has torched close to 500,000 acres

Over 27 days, the Dixie Fire - the largest in the wildfire-ravaged states history, has torched close to 500,000 acres 

At Sonoma State University, Maynard lectured seminars on criminology and deviant behaviorMaynard was also a sociology lecturer at Santa Clara University

At Sonoma State University, Maynard taught a criminology and deviant behavior seminar. He was also a sociology lecturer at Santa Clara University 

The former college lecturer is being temporarily held at the Sacramento County Jail after a court appearance on Tuesday

The former college lecturer is being temporarily held at the Sacramento County Jail after a court appearance on Tuesday

An assistant to the US Attorney's District Office asked for Maynard to remain in custody because he had endangered the lives of firefighters and many others by starting the fires near Dixie

An assistant to the US Attorney's District Office asked for Maynard to remain in custody because he had endangered the lives of firefighters and many others by starting the fires near Dixie

It is believed mental health issues drove Maynard to start the series of fires that got him arrested

It is believed mental health issues drove Maynard to start the series of fires that got him arrested 

Maynard entered an evacuation zone and started fires behind firefighters who were fighting Dixie

Maynard entered an evacuation zone and started fires behind firefighters who were fighting Dixie 

Dixie has left destruction in Plumas County near Taylorsville, California

Dixie has left destruction in Plumas County near Taylorsville, California 

Maynard came to investigators' attention following a bizarre run-in with a Forest Service officer on July 20 after another blaze, the Cascade Fire, was reported to authorities, The Sacramento Bee reported.  

The Forest Service investigator responding to the fire found Maynard hiding under a car that was stuck in a ditch and ordered him out to crawl out. Maynard first refused, then scampered out to ask that his car could be towed but became agitated and went back underneath the car, the paper reported. 

A witness said at one point Maynard took out a large knife and was having 'bipolar-like behavior,' court documents said. 

It is unclear why he wasn't immediately arrested.  

The next day, investigators found similar tires to those on Maynard's car near a second fire.  He was then tracked through his EBT card and CCTV store video.  

Officials placed a tracking device on his vehicle and followed his movements, which they found brought Maynard near the Ranch Fire and Conard Fire in Lassen National Forest. 

He was arrested after he had entered the evacuation zone and started to set fires behind responders fighting Dixie.  

Maynard, who is being held at the Sacramento County Jail, is set to appear in court again on Wednesday.

The Dixie Fire had become California's largest recorded wildfire, tearing through more than 487,00 acres in Butte, Plumas, Tehama and Lassen counties and has been ongoing for more than 27 days.

Close to 6,000 personnel have been assigned to fight off the devastating fire, but only 27 percent of the blaze has been contained, officials have said.

At least 893 structures have been damaged, and 12,000 people have been evacuated. Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported. 

A before and after series shows  a community center in flames in Greenville, California (above) and the damaged structure after the fire was put out (below)

A before and after series shows  a community center in flames in Greenville, California and the damaged structure after the fire was put out

A two store house burning (above) and the remaining ashes after the fire (below). Thousands have been evacuated and close to 900 structures have been destroyed

A two store house burning and the remaining ashes after the fire . Thousands have been evacuated and close to 900 structures have been destroyed

The devastating blaze continues as 6,000 personnel are working to fight it off

The devastating blaze continues as 6,000 personnel are working to fight it off 

Four firefighters were injured when a tree branch fell on them while they battled with inclement weather conditions

Four firefighters were injured when a tree branch fell on them while they battled with inclement weather conditions

A station market in Greensville, California burned by the Dixie Fire, which  has spread across Butte, Plumas, Tehama and Lassen counties

A station market in Greensville, California burned by the Dixie Fire, which  has spread across Butte, Plumas, Tehama and Lassen counties

An American flag lies on the incinerated remains of a completely destroyed structure

An American flag lies on the incinerated remains of a completely destroyed structure

A house burning (above) on July 24 and its remains two days later on July 26 (below)

A house burning on July 24 and its remains two days later on July 26  

Fortunately, the blaze has not claimed human lives

Fortunately, the blaze has not claimed human lives

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Last year's August Complex Fire scorched 1 million acres, twice as Dixie has so far, but it is considered a 'Complex Fire' because it was made up of multiple different lightning-sparked blazes. 

Dixie might have originated when a tree fell on one of the power lines of the Pacific Gas & Electric Company on July 13. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection were called to put out the initially small fire but poor roads and an unauthorized drone prevented the department from successfully mitigating the fire before darkness fell. 

On July 22, Dixie merged with the Fly Fire, while firefighters battled inclement weather conditions. Four firefighters were hurt when they were struck by a fallen branch.  

Firefighters have had to deal with people reluctant to leave - some of whom pulled guns on them - even as the wildfire continues to spread. Their refusals meant that firefighters spent precious time loading people into cars to ferry them out, said Jake Cagle, an incident management operations section chief.

'We have firefighters that are getting guns pulled out on them, because people don't want to evacuate,' he said.

The Dixie Fire progressed through July and was briefly contained, before major wind exacerbated the blaze.  

The Dixie Fire is now California's largest ever, propagating through four counties

The Dixie Fire is now California's largest ever, propagating through four counties 

Firefighters have faced a challenge of proportions as they dealt with arid weather and major winds

Firefighters have faced a challenge of proportions as they dealt with arid weather and major winds

The face of a horse toy left behind, disfigured by the flames of the Dixie Fire

The face of a horse toy left behind, disfigured by the flames of the Dixie Fire

Thousands were evacuated, leaving behind their homes and belongings

Thousands were evacuated, leaving behind their homes and belongings 

Don Crail, whose home burned down, is rushed into an ambulance for a medical issue in Greenville, California

Don Crail, whose home burned down, is rushed into an ambulance for a medical issue in Greenville, California

Two partially burned chairs sit among destroyed structures caused by the Dixie Fire. The fire burned down 75percent of  the town of Greenville

Two partially burned chairs sit among destroyed structures caused by the Dixie Fire. The fire burned down 75percent of  the town of Greenville

A firefighter from Huntington Beach looks up a mountainside after cutting a large tree

A firefighter from Huntington Beach looks up a mountainside after cutting a large tree

At least 163 water tenders have been employed in attempts to contain Dixie

At least 163 water tenders have been employed in attempts to contain Dixie

Flames emerge from a house in Greenville (above), as the house burns to the ground (below)

Flames emerge from a house in Greenville , as the house burns to the ground

The Pacific Gas & Electric Company was ordered to provide details on the circumstances around the fire to a federal judge by August 16.    

More land has burned in the Dixie Fire than in the Creek Fire, in which 379,895 acres had scorched by the time it was 100% contained on Christmas Eve. 

At least 163 water tenders have been employed in attempts to contain Dixie, but the unforgiving blaze has incinerated 75percent of the structures in the town of Greenville. 

The fire, fueled by bone-dry vegetation and 40 mph gusts, raged through the community of Greenville, leveling most of its historic downtown and leaving blocks of homes in ashes.

The town's historical museum, church, hotel, a bar and 100-year-old wooden buildings were destroyed. 

Assessment teams can not access many areas that have been affected, but preliminary reports account for 14,000 buildings being threatened in the northern Sierra Nevada, according to FOX.   

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Firefighters from Huntington Beach talk about the days plans

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Firefighters from Huntington Beach survey a mountainside before extinguishing a small blaze

Firefighters from Huntington Beach survey a mountainside before extinguishing a small blaze

During and after the flames: A gas station market and a house burn down to ashes

During and after the flames: A gas station market and a house burn down to ashes 

California's wildfire season hit its worst recorded to date in 2020. More acres have been torched in 2021 than in 2020 in the period to date

California's wildfire season hit its worst recorded to date in 2020. More acres have been torched in 2021 than in 2020 in the period to date

A car, and the Pioneer Café in Greenville were destroyed as a result of the Dixie Fire decimating the town

A car, and the Pioneer Café in Greenville were destroyed as a result of the Dixie Fire decimating the town

Unforgiving flames come out of a vehicle in Greenville (above). The frame of the car is all that's left after the fire has been put out (below), while the car next to it seems not to have been affected

Unforgiving flames come out of a vehicle in Greenville . The frame of the car is all that's left after the fire has been put out , while the car next to it seems not to have been affected

The fire now convers an area larger than Los Angeles

The fire now convers an area larger than Los Angeles

The Way Station Bar in Greensville before and after it burned during the Dixie Fire

 The Way Station Bar in Greensville before and after it burned during the Dixie Fire 

The consequences to the environment are being felt across state lines. Even as far as 1,100 miles to the east of California, in Denver, Dixie has created a pall of smoke.  

The California fires have produced overwhelming levels of pollution and heat during what already was a summer with record-breaking temperatures. The New York Times reported that the air in Denver and Salt Lake City is now more harmful than Delhi's and Beijing's.    

This year California has faced an unparalleled fire season, set to surpass 2020's, which is the worst recorded to date. By mid-July, 103,588 more acres had been scorched compared to the same period last year, according to Cal Fire.  

Top 20 most destructive California wildfires, from 2018's Camp Fire which killed 85 to last year's Creek blaze which razed 379,895 acres

 

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