Free Republic

A woman accused of starting a wildfire in Northern California that destroyed more than 100 homes in September was deemed incompetent to stand trial on Tuesday after she was evaluated by two court-appointed psychologists. The San Francisco Chronicle reports a judge ordered Alexandra Souverneva to be evaluated for possible placement at the Department of State Hospitals’ Conditional Release Program, an outpatient treatment system for people who charged with crimes and experiencing psychiatric symptoms. Authorities believe Souverneva, 31, set the Fawn Fire on Sept. 22 near Shasta Lake in an unincorporated area north of the city of Redding. Investigators said she...

Authorities have recommended a woman be charged with arson in connection with starting the Fawn Fire in Northern California. Officials said as firefighters were battling the blaze near Redding on Wednesday, a woman was found trespassing in the area. Workers at a quarry informed officials of a woman wandering the area of the fire. The woman, who has been identified as 30-year-old Alexandra Souverneva, approached firefighters and told them she was dehydrated and needed medical treatment. Souverneva reportedly had a lighter in her pocket. She was treated and later interviewed by authorities who determined she started the blaze. ... The...

A 30-year-old woman from Palo Alto was arrested Thursday on suspicion of starting a fast-growing wildfire in Shasta County, authorities said. Late Wednesday afternoon, Cal Fire and other crews were dispatched to a new wildfire in a deep, hard-to-reach canyon near Lake Shasta, at Fawndale Road north of Mountain Gate, the agency said. The blaze was later dubbed the Fawn Fire. Earlier that day, employees had reported seeing a woman trespassing in the area and acting strangely. A few hours later at around 8 p.m., a woman — later identified as Palo Alto resident Alexandra Souverneva — emerged out of...