Woman arrested on suspicion of arson in Grass Valley fire that forced evacuations
GRASS VALLEY – A woman has been arrested on suspicion of starting a fire that forced evacuations in the Grass Valley area of Nevada County on Friday afternoon.
The fire was burning in Grass Valley between Lumberjacks Restaurant and a repair shop on Nevada City Highway. The Grass Valley Fire Department confirmed the fire started in vegetation and spread to the repair shop.
The Grass Valley Police Department issued mandatory evacuations for several zones, but most of those orders were lifted shortly before 5 p.m. A map of the county's zones can be found online.
The Grass Valley Police Department confirmed to CBS13 that a woman has been detained and will be booked into jail on suspicion of arson. Police said she told officers that she caused the fire.
The suspect was identified as Elizabeth Huston of Nevada County. She was booked into jail on a charge of arson involving an inhabited building.
The police department said just after 4:30 p.m. that the forward progress of the vegetation fire had been stopped, but the structure remained involved at the moment.
The Grass Valley School District says bus routes 48, 51 and 52 and were returned to Lyman Gilmore Middle School. Parents were asked to pick up their students at Lyman Gilmore.
