A Santa Barbara County man has been sentenced to eight years in state prison for starting a brush fire which forced the evacuations of hundreds of people, and damaged several homes.
Victor Angel Hernandez pled guilty to arson charges stemming from the May, 2021 Loma Fire.
The fast moving inferno burned up a hillside on what’s known as TV Hill in Santa Barbara, at one point threatening KEYT-TV’s studios. No one was hurt, and despite the large number of buildings threatened, none were destroyed. Firefighters held the blaze to nine acres burned.
The 24-year-old man was arrested at the scene of the fire the night of the blaze. In addition to the state prison sentence, Hernandez was ordered to pay more than $80,000 in restitution to the city.
