Truckee man arrested after fire in Gateway area
Courtesy Nevada County Sheriff’s Office
TRUCKEE, Calif. — A Truckee man has been arrested for allegedly starting an illegal campfire that is suspected to have caused a brush fire.
Frank Battaglia, 43, was arrested Wednesday morning by the Truckee Police Department on felony charges for unlawfully causing a fire of forestland. His bail is set at $10,000, according to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, and he remains in custody as of Thursday morning.
At 1:40 a.m. on Wednesday, Truckee Police and the Truckee Fire Protection District responded to a report of a brush fire in the Gateway area. Upon arrival, emergency personnel located Battaglia fleeing an area with an illegal campfire. The following investigation led to Battaglia being placed under arrest.
The fire was at Donner Pass Road across from U.S. Bank. Truckee Fire Protection District and Cal Fire extinguished the roughly quarter-acre fire. No structures were threatened and no one was injured.
The local burn ban ordinance is in effect, meaning campfires and barbecues that burn solid fuel like charcoal are banned. Truckee’s burn ban typically lasts until November when the region begins receiving moisture.
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