CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police have arrested a Clearlake man for allegedly having set three fires on Monday, including two wildland fires.

Johnny Johnson, 49, was arrested on three counts of arson, according to a report from Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department.

Joseph said that just before 1 p.m. Monday, as Lake County Fire Protection and Cal Fire crews were battling two wildland fires between Olympic Drive and Burns Valley Road, the Clearlake Police Department received a call from a witness who reported a suspicious man behind Clearlake Dialysis Center, located at 14400 Olympic Drive.

The caller reported that the man had lit a small fire on the ground that had since been extinguished and was bragging to some children in the area about starting the larger and still burning fire, Joseph said.

Clearlake Police Officer Michael Carpenter arrived in the area and located the man described by the caller in the wooded area behind the dialysis center, Joseph said.

The man, identified as Johnson, admitted to starting a small fire in the wooded area but claimed he only did this to demonstrate to some children who were in the area how fires are easily started. Joseph said Johnson claimed that he had already extinguished the small fire with his hands.

At the time of contact, fire crews had already extinguished one of the larger fires but was still battling an even larger fire in the wooded field due north of the dialysis center, off of Burns Valley Road. Joseph said a Cal Fire helicopter with a water bucket was also being used to help fight this fire.

Johnson denied starting either of the two larger fires, only the small “demonstration fire” he had already extinguished with his hands. Joseph said Johnson’s pants were partially melted and his hair was partially singed. He also was in possession of a lighter.

Officers walked the area around where the two fires were located, Joseph said. The larger and still burning fire was located about 100 to 150 yards north of where Johnson was first located.

The smaller and already extinguished fire was located about a quarter-mile mile east of where Johnson had been located. Joseph said officers located Johnson’s unique shoe prints around both fire locations.

The larger and still burning fire had Johnson’s shoe prints leading up to and away from it, back towards the area where officers located him, Joseph said.

The original reporting party and an additional witness were interviewed and identified Johnson as the person seen starting a very small fire near where officers contacted him, according to Joseph.

Based on statements by the two witnesses and physical evidence located at the scenes of the three fires and on Johnson’s person, Joseph said Johnson was arrested and charged with three felony counts arson and later booked into the Lake County Jail.

The Clearlake Police Department thanked the witnesses for coming forward and getting involved. Joseph said these arson cases likely would have gone unsolved had it not been for the witnesses coming forward.

Anyone with information on these fires is asked to contact Officer Michael Carpenter at 707-994-8251, Extension 542. Callers may remain anonymous.