List of Arsons in Oregon and Washington-9/2020

[to be unpdated as more information comes available]

67 arsons in 29 incidents. (These 66 arsons do not equal 66 significant fires.)

On Saturday, the National Interagency Fire Center reported that 97 fires have burned 4.7 million acres across the west, evacuation orders are in place for 40 large fires in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Idaho, and Utah.

This list excludes the perhaps 20,000 Black Lives Matter/ANTIFA arsons of recent months. Portland has probably had 5000 Black Lives Matter/ANTIFA arson fires in the 100-plus days of riots. Within mnutes of the fires starting, several police agencies and the FBI warned, after exhaustive investigations that will presumably take place in the future, that none of the arsonists are ANTIFA.

Yet: A federal law enforcement source shared with Law Enforcement Today that the feds are looking into whether some of the cases are linked together… and warn there could be more “attacks”: “We are reacting to a coordinated series of attempts to start fires anywhere and everywhere in Oregon. Public and Private lands, incorporated and unincorporated areas. By all indications so far in the preliminary stages of these investigations there is a coordinated effort on the part of these individuals to start fires in areas that are the least protected and most vulnerable then slowing working their way into more populated areas and neighborhoods. Please take this information as an advisory for you own account and welfare and please act in good faith with due diligence to plan accordingly for your own safety and the well being of your community.” (https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/sources-series-of-wildfires-may-be-coordinated-and-planned-attack/)

Note: Where a report says :”several” we assume 3 even though it will usually be many more (e.g., one arsonist in a Utah National Park started 14 fires). Includes one non-arson (not counted as an incident), the Lynnwood multiple power-pole cutting by chainsaw.

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California

La Quinta (Riverside County): Carlos Espriu arrested or firebombing the offices of the East Valley Republican Women Federated (EVRWF) on May 31 (https://dailycaller.com/2020/09/10/california-carlos-espriu/)

Salinas-Highway 101: Anita Esquivel arrested for starting several fires along Highway 101 and then released; DA immediately says no link to Antifa (?) (https://kion546.com/news/2020/09/07/woman-accused-of-intentionally-starting-fires-on-highway-101-arrested)

Sonora: transient Jesse Peterson arrested for felony arson (https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/1245329/man-arrested-for-arson-in-sonora.html)

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Oregon

Albany: police searching for Portland-based ANTIFA militant Zachary Lange after man in black clothing seen starting multiple fires. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIHZpYD4CfQ)

Ashland: arson, one possible homicide (https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/fires-without-precedent-rage-in-usually-cool-wet-northwest/https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2020/09/arson-investigation-underway-where-human-remains-found-at-almeda-fire-in-ashland-chief-says.html)

Clackamas County: Incendiary materials: report of bag of incediary material found and turned over to police (screenshot) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIHZpYD4CfQ)

Clackamas County: Interstate 2015: : Police scanner report of vehicle “throwing Molotov cocktails from windows” along I-205 (https://mobile.twitter.com/nehdah/status/1304202802181230592) — Video of arrests of arsonists on highway by large police force (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ7wDCPhY20https://twitter.com/nehdah/status/1304202802181230592)

Dexter: arsonist Jonathan Maas (middle aged man with tattoos) at state park; two firers (https://nbc16.com/news/local/man-seen-starting-fires-at-oregon-state-park-local-fire-chief-says)

Glide: (July) Jedediah Fulton started two fires, threatened firefighters with machete (https://thatoregonlife.com/2020/09/arson-suspected-in-several-wildfires-raging-across-oregon/)

Interstate-5, Oregon: a dozen arson fires set along highway within throwing distance of road; fires are at almost even interval (https://mobile.twitter.com/nehdah/status/1304202802181230592)

Lincoln City: “human causes” pending investigation; 2400 acres burned so far (https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2020/09/fires-burning-near-lincoln-city-scorch-2400-acres-determined-to-be-human-caused.html)

Mapletown, Lane County: Elias Newton Pendergrass faces an arson in the first-degree; triggers evacuations. (https://www.koin.com/news/wildfires/man-faces-arson-charge-in-connection-with-sweet-creek-fires/https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2020/09/man-arrested-on-arson-allegation-in-wildfire-west-of-eugene-deputies-say.html)

Medford (only): Michael Jarrod Bakkela arrested for two counts of arson, 15 counts of criminal mischief and 14 counts of reckless endangerment; also in possession of meth; he burned “several” houses (https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2020/09/man-arrested-charged-with-arson-in-connection-with-southern-oregon-fire.html) – (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8721359/Evacuate-Wildfires-grow-Oregon-500K-flee.html)

Medford, Talent, and Phoenix: one body where fire started; more than 1000 homes burned, more than 2000 people lost their homes (https://thatoregonlife.com/2020/09/arson-suspected-in-several-wildfires-raging-across-oregon/)

Milwaukie (?): police are arrest and release a couple after they are videoed starting a fire near Elk Rock; Facebook suppresses the video (http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/09/oregon-fisherman-shares-video-suspected-arsonists-black-hoodies-black-pants-gas-cans-video/)

Mollalla: (metro Portland) arsonists seen (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIHZpYD4CfQ)

Oregon City: arsonist on camera starts fire at pallet plant (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIHZpYD4CfQ)

Red Bluff: Wesley Marcello Reed charged with arson (https://www.redbluffdailynews.com/2020/09/09/police-logs-sept-9-2020/)

Salem-Oregon Pallet: $1 million arson (https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/crime/2020/08/03/officials-offering-reward-information-salem-arson-fire-pallet-facility/5577388002/)

Salem-Waldo Middle Scool: arson at Waldo Middle School April 29; arson was recordedt by surveillance system (https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/crime/2020/06/01/salem-police-search-arson-suspect-who-set-fire-waldo-middle-school-oregon/5307945002/)

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Utah

Manti-La Sal National Forest: Forest service reports 14 arsons (https://kutv.com/news/local/suspected-arson-on-the-manti-la-sal-national-forest)

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Washington

Bonney Lake: the “Sumner Grade Fire”; Jeffrey Alan Acord arson suspect (see Puyallup)

Ellensburg: arsonist arrested after fire at hay facility and barns (https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/damage-at-ellensburg-hay-facility-estimated-at-750-000/article_35fd33bd-5c03-519c-b804-e97bd1cf8c52.html)

Graham: no suspect in arson: video of fire starting and car heastily leaving scene (https://twitter.com/AK4WA/status/1303805352329142273)

Lakewood: grass fire arsonist Jacob Altona arrested (https://mynorthwest.com/2153129/arrests-starting-fires-dry-grass/) – (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8721359/Evacuate-Wildfires-grow-Oregon-500K-flee.html)

Lynnwood: five power poles cut down with a chainsaw in August (https://www.king5.com/amp/article/news/crime/chainsaw-vandal-cutting-down-power-poles-in-snohomish-county-draws-attention-from-fbi/281-b9c5436c-f19a-418c-979e-f6ef459eca24)

Puyallup: Jeffrey Alan Acord arsonist; KIRO-TV notes he is a frequent participant in [Black Lives Matter/ANTIFA] Defund Police rallies (https://youtu.be/zCcq8tOiBWs http://www.protesterprivilege.com/2020/09/10/antifa-arsonist-arrested-near-tacoma-wa-after-live-streaming-himself/) – (https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/09/12/four-arrested-for-arson-on-the-west-coast-one-a-regular-attendee-of-anti-cop-rallies-in-seattle/)

Spokane: Christine Comello arrested for 3 arsons (https://www.yaktrinews.com/eastern-washington-woman-arrested-for-starting-fires-while-crews-worked-to-fix-fallen-power-lines/https://www.khq.com/news/arson-suspect-arrested-after-allegedly-starting-multiple-fires-in-spokane-on-monday/article_62df8a40-f223-11ea-8a02-af6f5dca5965.html)


Wapato: arson of urban trees and parks (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIHZpYD4CfQ)

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