History of Arson in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: January 11, 2025

Arson is the deliberate act of setting fire to property, encompassing buildings, vehicles, and natural areas. It's classified as a felony, with harsher penalties for endangering lives or property, and can lead to manslaughter or murder charges if deaths occur. A common motive is insurance fraud, where individuals burn their property and falsely claim the cause to collect insurance money.

1971: Criminal Damage Act 1971 (England and Hong Kong)

The Criminal Damage Act 1971 in England and its Hong Kong counterpart abolished the common law offense of arson, replacing it with specific provisions for criminal damage by fire, with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

1972: Crimes (Amendment) Ordinance 1972 (Hong Kong)

The Crimes (Amendment) Ordinance 1972 in Hong Kong mirrored the English Criminal Damage Act 1971, including provisions for arson with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

2006: Esperanza Fire and Raymond Lee Oyler's Conviction

The Esperanza Fire, a devastating wildfire in Southern California in 2006, led to the death of five firefighters. Raymond Lee Oyler was convicted of murder and sentenced to death for arson, marking a significant legal precedent.

2014: Operation Firebird Arson Scheme Begins

The series of arson attacks began in 2014, orchestrated by a group using methods like chicken in boiling oil to simulate cooking accidents for insurance fraud.

July 2016: Amendment to Myanmar Penal Code on Arson

In July 2016, the Myanmar Penal Code was amended to increase the punishment for arson on houses and buildings to up to 20 years in prison.

2018: Operation Firebird Arson Scheme Exposed

Authorities were tipped off about a planned arson incident in 2018, leading to the investigation known as Operation Firebird and the subsequent arrests.

2018: Tyler and Kim Chen's Arson Convictions

In 2018, Tyler Chen was convicted on five counts of arson and two counts of insurance fraud, while his wife, Kim Chen, was convicted on two counts of insurance fraud in Santa Clara County.

2019: Operation Firebird Arson Convictions

The perpetrators of the Operation Firebird arson scheme, including Tyler and Kim Chen, Ha Nguyen, Sandy Ngo, Duyen Pham, and Trang Huynh, were convicted in 2019 on various arson and insurance fraud charges.

2020: El Dorado Fire and Reckless Burning Charges

In 2020, a gender reveal party using a smoke bomb caused the El Dorado Fire in California. This incident, classified as reckless burning, resulted in property damage, a firefighter fatality, and involuntary manslaughter charges for the couple involved.

2021: 2021 Myanmar Coup d'état and Subsequent Arson Campaign

The 2021 Myanmar coup d'état marked the beginning of a widespread arson campaign by the military against civilian targets.

August 2022: Widespread Arson by Burmese Military

By August 2022, following the 2021 coup, the Burmese military had reportedly committed arson on over 28,000 houses, highlighting its use of arson as a weapon against civilians.