Witnesses Report Man Igniting Fire Near Highway 70, CAL FIRE Makes Arson Arrest in Oroville

OROVILLE, Calif. — A 32 year old man was arrested on suspicion of felony arson after multiple witnesses reported seeing someone ignite a vegetation fire near Highway 70 and Oro Dam Boulevard, according to CAL FIRE’s Butte Unit.

The Oroville Emergency Command Center received a report of the fire on Tuesday, October 27th, 2026. According to a CAL FIRE news release issued October 29th, multiple witnesses approached the first arriving fire engine crew and provided descriptions of a person they said they had seen starting the fire.

Firefighters spotted a man matching those descriptions, helping CAL FIRE Butte Unit law enforcement officers quickly locate him in an adjacent parking lot.

Following an investigation, officers identified the man as Joshua Robert Dale Prickett, 32, and arrested him. He was booked into Butte County Jail on suspicion of violating California Penal Code Section 451(c), according to CAL FIRE.

The agency’s October 29th release stated Prickett was being held on $75,000 bail.

The fire was extinguished and no injuries were reported. Those details were not included in CAL FIRE’s release.

The release did not specify the size of the fire, the method allegedly used to ignite it, a suspected motive or whether any property was damaged. It also did not provide a court date.

CAL FIRE said it remains committed to protecting Butte County residents through fire prevention, investigation and public safety enforcement.

Anyone with information about this incident or other suspected arson activity in Butte County is encouraged to contact the CAL FIRE Law Enforcement Bureau at 530-538-7888.

The allegations against Prickett have not been proven in court. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.