Clearlake man arrested for setting Thursday wildland fire in Lakeport
- Lake County News reports
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Authorities said they have arrested a Clearlake man for setting a fire in Lakeport after being released earlier in the day from the Lake County Jail.
Cameron Bates, 43, was arrested Thursday on charges including arson, drug possession and receipt of stolen property, the Lakeport Police Department said.
Lakeport Police said that at approximately noon on Thursday a wildland fire was reported around Lakeport Boulevard and Highway 29 in the city of Lakeport.
The Lakeport Fire Protection District, Kelseyville Fire District and Northshore Fire District all sent resources and quickly contained the fire which was approximately one quarter acre, police said.
Police said the fire burned in an area of wildland between the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and the Lake County Department of Agriculture facility.
Multiple law enforcement units from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Lakeport Police Department also responded to the fire, according to the Lakeport POlice report.
The agency said there were multiple witnesses who were in the area at the time of the fire starting who saw an individual walking away from the area of the fire. They also saw the individual attempting to strike another fire in grassland on the northeast side of the Chamber of Commerce Facility.
Law enforcement personnel detained the individual witnesses described — which they confirmed to be Bates — and conducted an investigation which produced evidence showing he had set the fire.
Police said Bates has multiple prior arrests and was released from the Lake County Correctional Facility on Thursday morning.
He was arrested on Thursday afternoon for arson of wildland, possession of controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of stolen property.
This investigation remains ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..