Man Who Started Gann Fire Faces Charges | California News

A man named Herbert Wayne Smith faces six charges—including involuntary manslaughter—after starting the deadly Gann Fire in Calaveras County that killed 70-year-old Susan Solari and injured a firefighter. Smith admitted to cutting metal scraps, which sparked dry grass into a blaze that burned over 10,000 acres and destroyed more than 50 buildings. This isn’t his first brush with arson—he was convicted of starting a fire in 2018 and even served as an inmate firefighter. Bail is set at $170,000, and prosecutors are preparing for trial. A tragic reminder of how quickly disaster can strike—and the lasting scars it leaves on lives and communities. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Sources:https://www.kcra.com/article/calaveras-county-man-charged-in-gann-fire/73751646 More coverage & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/54ab1dfd039ec05f Report issues to [email protected].