Murder charge in firefighters' air crash

Brady

UKIAH, California (CNN) -- A man investigators believe started a wildfire that led to the deaths of two firefighters in a plane crash Monday was charged Tuesday with second-degree murder, and police are investigating whether a second man is connected with the blaze.

"If we determine that the fire was of an illegal origin, and at this point that's the position we're taking ... we will prosecute everybody involved, as much as I can prosecute, for as many things as I can charge them with," said Mendocino County District Attorney Norman Vroman.

Frank Brady, 50, of Redwood Valley, California, was arrested shortly after the fire broke out Monday afternoon near Hopland, about 100 miles north of San Francisco. Mendocino County Undersheriff Gary Hudson said Brady was arrested in a black SUV after a 911 caller reported that a similar vehicle was seen leaving the scene of the fire, which investigators think began with an uncontrolled campfire.

Brady was charged with unlawfully causing a fire that damaged structures.

About four hours later, while fighting the blaze, two air tankers dropping retardant collided, killing two pilots from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF). Murder charges were then added against Brady, and he is being held without bond, Hudson said.

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An arraignment for Brady is scheduled for Wednesday morning.

After Brady's arrest, investigators went to his house, where they arrested Richard Mortensen, 43, of San Pablo, California, on a string of outstanding drug, weapons and theft warrants. He is being held on $845,000 bond.

"The investigation is continuing to determine whether Mortensen played any role whatsoever in the fire," Hudson said. The second suspect, however, has not been charged in connection with the fire or the crash.

There have been rumors that the fire was connected to drugs.

Vroman said "we have not confirmed or disconfirmed" reports that the blaze might be related to the manufacture of methamphetamine. He said the investigation was continuing.

Collision cause under investigation

The midair collision of the two Grumman S-2 tankers occurred shortly before 7 p.m. (10 p.m. EDT) Monday.

Pilots Larry Groff of Santa Rosa and Lars Stratte of Chico were dropping fire retardant on the Bus Fire, in Mendocino County. Both were killed in the crash.

"It's devastating. Everyone knows that every time you go to work, you may not come home and this just happens to be one of those times," said CDF spokesman Woody Allshouse.

Officials said there was no indication of any mechanical malfunction on the aircraft.

Allshouse said pilots would be allowed to "sit out" Tuesday if they did not feel comfortable flying their air tankers.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board were at the wreckage site Tuesday. An official said the team would have a preliminary report in several days.

Fires still burning

The CDF hopes to have the wildfire contained by 6 p.m. Tuesday (9 p.m. EDT). So far, the blaze has burned 250 acres, two homes and 12 outbuildings, according to CDF Capt. David Driscoll.

Also in California, fire officials Tuesday expect to fully contain a brush fire in northern Los Angeles County, less than a day after the out-of-control blaze flared up, threatening several homes.

More than 800 firefighters worked through the night to build a fire line around the blaze that has already charred at least 1,800 acres. The fire began Monday around 12:45 p.m. (3:45 p.m. EDT).

Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Henry Rodriguez said firefighters were able to get a "good handle" on the blaze, dubbed the Castaic Lake fire, and contained 80 percent of it by early Tuesday morning.

So far Tuesday there was no active flame, according to fire officials, but they said the fire still poses a threat.

Sunny conditions and a lack of rain in California have helped the recent blazes. The National Interagency Fire Center reported two other large fires in the state.

A fire weather watch was in effect for southern Montana, according to the NIFC.

Eight new large fires across the West were reported Tuesday. Firefighters are battling at least 25 large fires in eight states -- California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

At the NIFC in Boise, Idaho, fire officials usually coordinate resources to fight fires from a safe distance. But on Monday, the staff could see smoke coming from the Rough Diamonds fire, which charred 6,500 acres in nearby Silver City.

"I've been sitting here in a building, and yesterday I finally saw a fire," said NIFC fire information officer Scott Sticha.