A Petaluma man was arrested and charged with reckless burning on Tuesday after he admitted to setting personal items on fire on the ridge above the Spirit Rock Meditation Center. The fire grew out of control and burned 16 acres of brush, prompting an evacuation warning for the eastern side of the Rancho Santa Margarita neighborhood out of an abundance of caution. Fire personnel from four agencies stopped the forward spread after about two hours. Henry Walker, 73, was booked in jail for felony reckless burning and released on bail. He suffered minor injuries from attempting to stomp out the flames.
David Briggs
