A woman accused of sparking a destructive fire in the Sierra Nevada foothills has been arrested on suspicion of arson, authorities said. Police in the Nevada County city of Grass Valley responded to three 911 calls reporting smoke and fire in the brush around Nevada City Highway and Gates Place at about 3:20 p.m., authorities said A woman was pointed out by witnesses.
The flames, carried by the wind, quickly reached the southernmost edge of the property of Sierra Motor Sports, where the business stored 50-gallon barrels of discarded gasoline, Blakemore said. Once those caught fire, all buildings on the property were destroyed, including the main showroom, an exterior maintenance structure and several smaller sheds and storage buildings. The business owners told police the damage was at least $1.5 million, police said.