Former Professor Admits to Setting Wildfires Near Dixie Fire

Gary Stephen Maynard pleads guilty to three counts of arson, facing up to 20 years in prison per count.

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.