A California man has been arrested for allegedly starting a fire at the Bidwell Mansion

A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of intentionally setting a fire that destroyed the Bidwell Mansion, a historic landmark in Chico and the former home of the city's founder, authorities said.

California State Parks Police arrested Kevin Alexander Carlson, of Chico, on Thursday. Initial charges against him include arson and aggravated speeding, according to Butte County Dist. He said. Mike Ramsey.

Carlson is being held without bail in the Butte County Jail, Ramsey said.

More details about the charges will be released when Carlson appears in court Monday at 3 p.m. in Butte County Superior Court, he added.

The flames first appeared at Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park around 3 a.m. on Dec. 11. The Chico Fire Department and several other agencies were unable to prevent extensive damage from the raging fire, which caused the top story of the mansion to collapse. around 4am

A week later, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection investigators determined the cause of the fire to be arson, authorities said.

This 26-room building was completed in 1868 and served as the residence of Chico's founder, John Bidwell, and his wife Annie. The property was undergoing major renovations that were nearly completed when the fire broke out.

The mansion goes up in flames on the morning of December 11th.

(California State Parks)

Now, the future of the historic home is bleak.

California State Parks works with a combination of community partners – including the city of Chico, Cal State Chico, the Mechoopda Indian Tribe and the Bidwell Mansion Assn. – to find the next steps of the structure. State Parks is also evaluating what remains of the mansion to determine how that might affect the building's designation as a California Historical Landmark or its listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

“For more than a century this beloved piece of history is a testament to the legacy of John and Annie Bidwell and the community they helped shape,” State Parks Director Armando Quintero said in a statement after the fire. “To see it so badly damaged is such a great loss that we all feel so deeply.”

Multiple agencies assisted State Parks in arresting the suspect, including Cal Fire, the Chico Police Department, the Cal State Chico Police Department, the Butte County District Attorney's Office and the FBI.

If convicted, Carlson could face two to 11 years in prison, according to Ramsey.