Firefighters Hope To Have Containment Of King Fire By Saturday

EL DORADO COUNTY (CBS13) - The massive King Fire should be fully contained by Saturday.

The weekend rain and humidity helped firefighters get it to 89 percent contained. More than 4,000 firefighters remain on scene to strengthen containment lines.

So far, the King Fire has burned more than 97,000 acres and destroyed 12 homes.

The fire has cost more than $53 million to fight.

Wayne Allen Huntsman, 37, was arrested on Sept. 18 in Placerville and booked into El Dorado County Jail, where he was being held on $10 million bail.

Huntsman is charged with one count of arson of forest land for willfully and maliciously setting a fire, according to a criminal complaint. He also faces a special allegation of arson with aggravating factors because the blaze east of Sacramento put a dozen firefighters in serious danger, forcing them to deploy their fire shields. They all escaped unharmed.

READ: The full criminal complaint against Huntsman

District Attorney Vern Pierson declined to say what led investigators to Huntsman, who was scheduled to be arraigned Friday. He also would not comment on a possible motive in the case, saying the investigation was ongoing.

"It's something that's evolving at this point," Pierson said of the probe.

He did not know whether Huntsman had an attorney.

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