A Yucca Valley woman was arrested Tuesday, accused of intentionally setting her house on fire. According to County Fire Battalion Chief Donnie Viloria, firefighters from Yucca Valley, Yucca Mesa, and Joshua Tree were called to the 7700 block of Cherokee Trail at 1 p.m. for a structure fire. A Sheriff’s deputy who arrived before firefighters found the female resident of the home, Catherine Ibling, 32, on the home’s front porch with a garden hose trying to put out the flames, and removed her from harm’s way. Firefighters mounted an aggressive attack on the blaze, which was mostly confined to the living room and kitchen; they had the flames out in about 20 minutes. Ibling allegedly told her husband and a roommate that she was going to light the house on fire, and Viloria said there was no doubt that the blaze was intentionally set. Catherine Ibling was arrested for investigation of arson, booked into the Morongo Basin Jail, with her bail set at $250,000.
