Fresno Fire believes fires at Armenian cemetery arson, not hate crime

Fresno Fire is investigating multiple suspected arson fires at the Ararat Armenian Cemetery near Roeding Park this past weekend.

The fires resulted in the destruction of multiple cypress trees, those of which were a minimum of 60 years old.

They also created fears of a possible hate crime days away from the Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide on April 24.

However, Fresno Fire investigators have ruled that out, as they say, the trees burned over the weekend are just the latest of many they say have been ignited in the area.

An area that includes multiple other cemeteries, like Holy Cross and Mountain View cemeteries.

“There’s been absolutely zero information or crimes that have been committed that we could link to any sort of a hate crime. There’s been no tagging, no defacing of property, no vandalism,” said Deputy Fire Marshal Jay Tracy.

Read more: KSEE (Fresno, CA)