A woman accused of starting a devastating 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 about smoke and fire in brush around Nevada City Highway and Gates Place around 3:20 p.m., authorities said.
The woman, identified by witnesses, “spontaneously stated” that she accidentally lit herself with a cigarette after being restrained, Grass Valley Police Lt. Brian Blakemore said.
Blakemore said the suspect later recanted and said he started the fire while testing a lighter in the bushes. Elizabeth Houston, 49, was arrested on suspicion of felony arson.
Blakemore said the flames were carried by wind and quickly reached the south end of the Sierra Motor Sports property, where the company stores 50-gallon barrels of discarded gasoline. The fire there destroyed every building on the property, including the main showroom, an outside maintenance facility and several small sheds and warehouses.
The owners told police the damage was at least $1.5 million, police said. Sierra Motor Sports has been in business for more than 30 years.
“This is definitely a huge loss, not just to the business but to the whole community,” Blakemore said.
Officials said the Grass Valley Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection contained the initial fire to about three acres and spared several homes and other buildings in the area, including a flower shop. The fire prompted temporary evacuations for the surrounding area, but they were lifted just before 5 p.m.
