Boy blamed for Malibu wildfires
2007-10-31 17:23
California - Officials blamed a wildfire that consumed more than 15 380 hectares and destroyed 21 homes last week on a boy playing with matches, and said they would ask a prosecutor to consider the case.
The boy, whose name and age were not released, admitted to sparking the fire on October 21, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sergeant Diane Hecht said on Tuesday. Ferocious winds helped it quickly spread.
"He admitted to playing with matches and accidentally starting the fire," she said in a statement.
The boy was released to his parents, and the case will be presented to the district attorney's office, Hecht said. It was not clear if he had been arrested or cited by detectives.
The fire began in an area near Agua Dulce and quickly spread. It was among 15 or so major wildfires that killed 14 people, destroyed about 2 100 homes and blackened 2 095 square kilometres from Los Angeles to the Mexican border last week.
Authorities arrested five people for arson during that period, but none have been linked to any of the major blazes.
All but four of the blazes are now fully contained. Firefighters on Wednesday continued to cut lines around the remaining fires and kept a close eye on the weather.
Forecasters have said moderate Santa Ana winds could pick up later in the week.
Investigators have blamed an arsonist for setting a destructive wildfire in Orange County that blackened 11 534 hectares and destroyed 16 homes.
Authorities were seeking the driver of a white Ford F-150 pickup truck spotted in a canyon area about the time the fire broke out. They said they wanted to talk to the driver, but stopped short of calling the person a suspect.
Officials offered a $285 000 reward to anyone with information that will lead to an arrest and conviction.
- AP