At about 7:04pm Friday, Turlock Fire and Turlock Police responded to a fire in the 3100 block of Fulkerth Road.
It was reported a residentially challenged man in a wheelchair was also near the fire.
Firefighters arrived on scene to find a 20′ x 40′ vegetation fire that they quickly extinguished.
Nearby, officers located James Bryan, 53, of Turlock, sitting in his wheelchair.
Through the investigation, it was determined Bryan had started the fire.
Bryan was arrested and booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on the charge of unlawfully causing a fire.