By CASEY MICHEL
Southern California’s Holy Fire, sparked on Monday, has already scorched more than 18,000 acres as of Friday morning and forced over 20,000 residents to flee.
Now, authorities have identified the man suspected of igniting the massive blaze.
On Wednesday, local officials arrested 51-year-old Forrest Gordon Clark, charging him with two counts of felony arson, as well as another felony charge of threatening to terrorize.
Records show Forrest Clark has a history of mental illness. All of Clark’s neighbours who lived up the mountainous canyon in 16 other homes feared Forrest Clark. They all lost their homes, while Clark’s home remains untouched by the fire.
JJ MacNab, who covers anti-government extremism for Forbes, first identified Clark’s Facebook profile. A quick skim reveals just how many conspiracy theories Clark promulgated — and why he may have allegedly started the fire in the first place. Indeed, it appears there was no conspiracy theory too ludicrous for Clark to buy into.
For instance, Clark recently started pushing messaging around “QAnon,” a bizarre theory that a global Deep State network is trying to bring down President Donald Trump in order to further their nefarious aims.
Likewise, Clark appeared to be a fan of Alex Jones and InfoWars,
Anti-Government conspiracy theories (like the ones Alex Jones spouts constantly) have a powerful appeal for those who are already delusional.
Selling fear and hatred to the gulible
There’s also indication Clark may have leaned on some of these conspiracy theories when looking for justification for allegedly setting the massive fire. Clark, who wrote on Facebook that he “will see the soon Coming of our LORD in the Clouds of Glory!”, posted late last year that the fires in California were direct evidence that Agenda 21 was afoot.
My own home was enveloped in smoke from wildfires much of today.