Wildfire horror as woman found dead inside burned home — after suspect arrested for sparking devastating blaze

A woman was found dead inside a burned home in Calaveras County as the Gann Fire continued to scorch more than 10,000 acres in Northern California.

The unidentified woman, 70, was discovered inside a residence in the 4600 block of Jaquima Drive near the city of Angels Camp, according to the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office.

Flames consume a home as the Gann Fire burns near Copperopolis on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, in Calaveras County, Calif. AP

Herbert Wayne Smith is pictured. Smith, 65, of Valley Springs, was arrested and accused of recklessly starting the Gann Fire in Calaveras County. KCRA

“At this stage of the investigation, investigators from both agencies are working to determine the cause and manner of death and the relationship between the death and the fire,” the sheriff’s office said. “Investigators will continue to evaluate all available evidence as the investigation progresses.”

The death was announced after a suspect was arrested for allegedly igniting the blaze.

“This is going to destroy my life, one way or another,” Herbert Wayne Smith, 65, of Spring Valleys, told KCRA.

Smith said he was using a saw to cut metal scraps when the fire ignited.

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