Suspect arrested on suspicion of starting Clover Fire in Alta Sierra area
By Brandon Downs, Conor McGill
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ALTA SIERRA, California (KOVR) — A man was arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the Clover Fire in the Alta Sierra area of Nevada County on Friday.
Nevada County Consolidated Fire said it responded to the fire in the area of Clover Valley Road and Fay Drive for a well-involved structure fire that spread to grass around 1:30 p.m.
Fire crews immediately found a home fully involved when they arrived, with flames extending to vegetation on both sides of Clover Valley Road. Arriving crews were able to protect a neighboring structure.
Cal Fire NEU also responded to the fire, helping hold the fire to 13 acres. Crews reported a fast rate of spread, and structures were threatened.
The California Highway Patrol’s Grass Valley unit posted photos that showed multiple vehicles burned in the fire. Other photos shared by Nevada County Consolidated showed other vehicles and a boat burned.
Cal Fire confirmed it arrested 34-year-old Dylan Steven Augerot in connection with the fire. He was booked into jail for arson of forest land and is held on a $100,000 bail.
Jail records show that Augerot was arrested near the intersection of Alta Sierra Drive and Highway 49, which was about four miles from the start of the fire.
The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation order for zone NCO-E048. Zone NCO-E050 was in an evacuation warning, but the order and warning have since been lifted.
A temporary evacuation point was established at Magnolia Intermediate School on Kingston Lane in Grass Valley. Students who were evacuated from Alta Sierra Elementary were taken to Magnolia, the sheriff’s office said.
A superintendent of the Pleasant Ridge School District said there were about 20 students taken via a bus to Magnolia. The fire broke out after school.
A temporary evacuation shelter was established for animals at the Nevada County Horseman on Bubbling Wells Road.
Rainbow Road at Carrie Drive and Clover Valley Road at Brewer Road were closed to traffic through the evening but have since reopened.
More than 1,400 Pacific Gas and Electric customers in the Alta Sierra area were without power.
Mike Sypnicki lives in the area and said he’s known Augerot since he was a kid. Sypnicki added that there had been concerns about Augerot’s behavior in the community.
“Here we are today, and everybody around here, we talk all the time that Dylan was going to light this place on fire,” he said.
Sypnicki said law enforcement officials had been called out to Augerot’s home numerous times in the past.
“He’s had some mental health episodes where law enforcement has been out a number of times,” he said. “There’s been numerous complaints with the county about septic and all the dangers, the fire dangers.”
Neighbors told CBS News Sacramento that Augerot lived in the home that burned down. The neighboring home that was saved was Sypnicki’s.
“They’re so humble, and you just want to go walk up and say thank you to them, but you know they got a job to do,” he said.
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