California firefighter sentenced for arson

A reserve firefighter on the Tule River Indian Reservation in central California has been sentenced to two years in state prison for setting wildland fires. In a Visalia courtroom on Wednesday Zachary Janoko pleaded guilty to felony arson.

Below is an excerpt from the Porterville [California] Recorder.

…In July 2014, Janoko was arrested for suspicion of arson for starting fires on the Reservation and along the Tule riverbed. During the investigation, Janoko, who was then assigned to the Natural Resource Department at the Reservation, and who at times had assisted the Tule River Fire Department battling fires, was accused of causing the fires for financial gain.

“It was hard on people here. Zack had been assisting here,” said Jay Henshaw, wildland fire investigator with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He said Janoko had been a reserve firefighter that provided backup and support.

“We worked with the county, tribal police and Bureau of Indian Affairs on the investigation and were successful,” Henshaw said.

Henshaw attended Janoko’s sentencing in Visalia and said he was glad that Janoko had been caught and found guilty because it isn’t very often that arsonists are actually caught.

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Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.

One thought on “California firefighter sentenced for arson”

  1. Being the aunt of BIA Investigator, Jay Hinshaw and the wife of retired fire Captain of the City of Prescott Fire Department and the mother of recently retired son who served as Engineer of the City of Prescott Fire Department, I am disappointed to see that the reporter did not get the spelling of Jay’s last name correct. We are sorry that Mr. Janoko has caused so much damage to the parched wildland of California. Our Granite Mountain Hotshot crew was killed two years ago and the program has not been rebuilt, which leaves our area in need of people in the area to be more fire wise.

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