The Gann Fire in Northern California has taken a grim and unusual turn: the man who admitted to starting the blaze once worked as an inmate firefighter. Herbert Wayne Smith, 65, is now facing scrutiny over a fire that burned thousands of acres and killed an animal breeder, even as records show he spent part of his own incarceration fighting fires for the state years ago.
Smith served in California’s Conservation Camp Program in 1999 while in custody at Soledad, then later at a Georgetown camp before he was released on parole, according to KCRA. At the time, he had been jailed for receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance. California’s correctional department says inmate firefighters help state, local and federal agencies respond to emergencies including fires, floods, and other natural or manmade disasters. Those crews are typically made up of inmates in minimum custody status, the lowest security level, with eight years or less left on their sentences.
The case has drawn attention because Smith admitted to starting the wildfire that left one woman dead. The victim was identified as Susan Solari, owner of Hinterland German Shepherds. Friends said Solari told them she could not leave as the flames moved in because she would not abandon her dogs. She had operated the breeding business for decades, underscoring the personal loss behind the fire’s destruction.
Smith was booked for recklessly causing a fire, operating equipment capable of producing sparks in vegetation without following fire-prevention requirements, and allowing a fire to escape control. Authorities said he was using a saw to cut metal scraps so he could sell them and pay for his wife’s birthday celebration when the fire began. He has expressed regret over what happened and told KCRA, “This is going to destroy my life, one way or another,” adding, “I’m so sorry for everything that’s happened. That was never my intent. I was just out there trying to get some money together, and it turned into this.”
