Former Professor Admits to Setting Wildfires Near Dixie Fire

Overview

• Gary Stephen Maynard, a former college professor, pleaded guilty to setting three wildfires in the vicinity of the 2021 Dixie Fire, facing severe legal consequences.
• Maynard was arrested after a detailed investigation involving tracking his movements, which linked him to the fires set in forestland between Redding and Susanville.
• The fires Maynard admitted to setting were extinguished early but posed significant risks to firefighting crews already battling the massive Dixie Fire.
• In addition to legal repercussions, Maynard agreed to pay $500,000 in restitution for the damages caused by the fires.
• The Dixie Fire, starting from a PG&E power line incident, became the largest single-source wildfire in California's history, burning over 963,000 acres.