CAL FIRE investigators said that arson was determined to be the cause of the Dersch Fire and the Bailey Fire, both occurred on Sunday during Red Flag conditions.
The Dersh Fire broke out around 12:08 p.m. Sunday. The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office and CAL FIRE responded to a reported domestic dispute, involving a vehicle fire, near the intersection of Leopard and Dersch Roads, east of Anderson.
Investigators said initial reports were that two subjects were in a domestic dispute, and a vehicle on the property had been set on fire. The fire quickly spread to nearby vegetation where it spread rapidly under strong north winds.
After an investigation, CAL FIRE officers determined 29-year-old Caleb Eckert, of Redding, allegedly set fire to the vehicle. Eckert was arrested and booked into the Shasta County Jail.
The Dersch Fire is now 100% contained. It burned 133 acres and destroyed several structures.