California Man Faces More Than 12 years for Starting Cranston Wildfire

guilty of starting a wildfireUPDATED: 2019/02/15 12:00 PM

A California man was sentenced to more than 12 years in state prison Thursday, after admitting and being found guilty of starting a wildfire that destroyed over 13,000 acres of the San Bernardino National Forest last summer. The Cranston Fire, as it would be named, required the efforts of over 700 firefighters called to battle the flames.

Brandon McGlover, age 33, of Temecula, CA pleaded guilty to two counts of burning of a structure or forest land, after initially being charged with starting nine separate blazes on July 25, including the Cranston Fire, which was the largest. McGlover admitted to burning multiple structures that resulted in the Cranston Fire, according to prosecutors.

In addition to is sentencing, the judge also ordered McGlover to pay restitution to the victims.

The blaze was one of many in last summer’s “Fire” season the wreaked havoc on the Southern California landscape.