A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of intentionally setting fire to the historic Bidwell Building, an iconic landmark in Chico and the home of the city’s founder, authorities said.
California State Parks officials arrested Kevin Alexander Carlson of Chico on Thursday. Preliminary charges against him include one count of felony intentional arson with an aggravated charge of using an accelerant, according to the Butte County District. Atty. Mike Ramsay.
Carlson is being held without bail at the Butte County Jail, Ramsey said.
Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park emerged in 2016.
(California State Parks)
He added that more details on the charges will be released during Carlson’s arraignment in Butte County Superior Court on Monday at 3 p.m.
The fire first broke out at Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park around 3 a.m. on December 11.
A week later, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection investigators determined the cause of the fire was arson, authorities said.
Completed in 1868, the 26-room mansion was the home of Chico founder John Bidwell and his wife, Annie. The property was undergoing extensive restoration and was nearly complete when the fire broke out.
On the morning of December 11, the mansion caught fire.
(California State Parks)
Now, the future of the historic home is unclear.
California State Parks is working with a coalition of community partners, including the City of Chico, Cal State Chico, Mechoopda Indian Tribe and Bidwell Mansion Assn. — Determine next steps for the property. State Parks also is evaluating what’s left of the mansion to determine how that might affect the building’s designation as a California Historic Landmark or inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.
“For more than a century, this beloved landmark has been shaped by John and Anne Bidwell and the people they helped shape,” State Parks Director Armando Quintero said in a statement after the fire. A testament to the community’s heritage “We are all deeply saddened to see it so badly damaged. “
Multiple agencies assisted State Parks in the arrest of a suspect, including Cal Fire, Chico Police Department, Cal State Chico Police Department, Butte County District Attorney’s Office and the FBI.
Ramsey said Carlson could face 2 to 11 years in prison if convicted.
