Woman charged with arson after allegedly starting Calif. wildfire while trying to boil water
A woman has been charged in California after she allegedly started the Fawn wildfire while attempting to boil drinking water.
According to a criminal complaint from the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office, Alexandra Souverneva was hiking to Canada at the time of the incident. The fire began Sept. 22 and is only 50% contained after burning more than 8,500 acres, according to Cal Fire.
According to investigators, Souverneva was walking near the town of Mountain Gate in northern California and seen by employees of a quarry who warned her away from the property. She later tried to filter water from a dry creek with a tea bag before deciding to boil the water to disinfect it.
She told investigators that the conditions were too wet for her fire to start and she soon left the area. Later she became stuck and called the fire department for help and then informed Cal Fire authorities about her attempted fire.
Souverneva faces a charge of felony arson with an enhancement of committing arson during a state of emergency, which carries a sentence of up to nine years. She’s pleaded not guilty.
