A suspected arsonist armed with a blowtorch has been arrested after he was caught by local heroes near a celebrity enclave in Los Angeles.
He was trapped near where the raging Kenneth Fire broke out in the West Hills area of LA on Thursday afternoon.
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Police detain man suspected of arson Credit: Instagram/@reresellsvroomvrooms
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A discarded burner near the venueCredit: Instagram/reresellsvroomvrooms
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Fire crews battle the Kenneth fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles Credit: AP
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Water is dropped by helicopter on the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills Credit: AP
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Fire crews walk as they battle the blaze that broke out on ThursdayCredit: AP
Authorities are treating the area as a crime scene as flames continue to burn through more than 1,000 hectares.
The man, believed to be in his 30s, was taken into custody after being caught by residents.
He was allegedly caught trying to start a fire in the area, Senior Officer Charles Dinsel said.
Residents said they noticed a man riding a bicycle holding a blowtorch in his hand.
The suspected arsonist tried to set fire to old discarded Christmas trees and garbage cans, they claim.
Locals then followed him and stopped him before he was arrested, reports Fox LA.
The video shows the suspected arsonist being taken into custody by the police, with his hands handcuffed behind his back.
The Kenneth Fire continues to rage through Ventura County – threatening the area’s lavish homes.
Dramatic images show helicopters dropping water on the raging inferno in a desperate bid to put out the blaze.
Monstrous flames have engulfed the exclusive suburbs of Calabasas and Hidden Hills – the Kardashians are among the celebrities who call the area home.
Powerball billionaire Edwin Castro’s $3.8 million getaway resort is now smoking rubble as his mansion narrowly escapes LA fires
It started in the San Fernando Valley, just three miles from a school that was serving as a shelter for evacuees in the fire, shortly after 2:30 p.m.
Dinsel told NewsNation, “Approximately 20 minutes, 30 minutes later the suspect was apprehended by the citizens in the Woodland Hills area.”
He said it was not clear how or why the fire was started – but it was “being investigated as a crime”.
By evening, the fire had spread into neighboring Ventura County before quickly spreading overnight to more than 800 acres.
About 400 firefighters remained on the ground during the night to prevent the fire from igniting.
The LA Fire Department initially issued mandatory evacuation orders for the area known as Hidden Hills, but later reduced that to warnings.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the sentence for the suspected arsonist could be as high as murder and could result in life in prison.
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He said: “Justice will be swift. It will be firm and the maximum punishment will be sought.
“Our goal is to send this warning. Whether it’s robberies, these internet scams, robberies, or future arsons. … the day and age of the State Attorney’s Office standing by is over.
“We want to bring justice and we will.”
The Kenneth Fire is one of six blazes ravaging LA – ten people have been confirmed dead, though the number is feared to be much higher.
The remains of the three victims are still being identified, the Los Angeles County pathologist said.
More than 180,000 residents were forced from their homes, and a further 200,000 were warned that they may need to evacuate quickly.
The Kenneth Fire broke out Thursday afternoon after five separate fires broke out Tuesday morning – causing massive destruction.
Among them are two large fires – Palisades and Eaton, which covered 53 square kilometers.
‘War Zone’ LA Feels ‘Broken’ As Fires Continue To Devastate City – But We Will Rebuild
US Sun Associate Exclusives Editor Katy Forrester is an LA resident who witnessed the horror first hand as the flames engulfed the city. She said the city felt like a “war zone.”
EVERY year, Los Angeles prepares for wildfires. It is not uncommon to see flames burning up hills and even houses burning to the ground.
But many residents have never witnessed anything as devastating as this week. And it’s not even close to over.
I spent some time near Pacific Palisades, where thick smoke filled the air, and I saw desperate families fleeing the city while others begged police to allow them access to their properties as roads were blocked.
“Everything is gone” was heard many times, because thousands of people were left without homes and few possessions.
I was lucky that only my home was without power, but I will never forget what I witnessed while traveling around the city.
It was like a war zone.
During my visit to the shelter, I spoke with a resident who has lived in his home for almost 30 years and is fighting cancer. He stayed long after he was told to pack up and go.
It wasn’t until the flames started leaping around his building that he finally picked up his things and ran outside.
I was reporting from Altadena, where buildings were still burning and several fire engines were in sight as emergency services were overwhelmed.
Cars and school buses were completely engulfed in flames, and heartbroken families stood around in shock, unable to comprehend what had happened.
As the sun was setting, I made my way back home toward downtown, which I thought was safe, until I saw orange flames leaping behind buildings just minutes from my house.
I got sick. I’ve never seen wildfires so close to Hollywood, and suddenly the phones were flashing with emergency notifications to evacuate the area.
Traffic lights and street lights were out, and areas full of trees downed by strong winds became blocked.
I feel extremely lucky to live a few minutes outside the evacuation zone, but friends have panicked and fled their homes.
Although many around the world will just shrug their shoulders when they hear that rich people have lost their homes, the reality is quite different.
The city as a whole feels broken, everyone has gone through hell, from single mothers to the elderly.
And people are angry.
Dozens spoke of having their insurance policies canceled just months before the fire, while others were concerned about alleged corruption and mismanagement.
Maybe they’re angry. But they also have hope. The people of Los Angeles are strong.
We will get through this. And we will rebuild.
Arson investigators are also investigating the start of the Palisades horror fire, it is understood.
Firefighters and cadaver dogs continue to comb through the charred remains in a desperate search for victims after the most devastating fire in LA history.
Neighborhoods were reduced to ashes, with celebrities including John Goodman and Leighton Meester watching their tiles burn.
The devastating fires should have costly consequences for the city and its residents – private forecaster Accuweather estimates the total damage and economic loss to be up to $150 billion.
Joe Biden announced Thursday that the federal government will cover 100 percent of the costs of the fire.
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The LA skyline is shrouded in smoke from an overnight fire in the Hollywood Hills Credit: Reuters
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A spiral staircase stands amid the smoldering skeleton of a house destroyed in the Palisades fire Credit: AFP
The outgoing president said the costs would include salaries for first responders and shelters housing displaced residents.
All of the large fires that have broken out this week are within a roughly 25-mile (40 km) zone north of downtown LA.
Of the 10 deaths so far, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley confirmed two were in the Palisades fire, and county officials said the Eaton fire killed five.
The remains of the three victims are still being identified, the Los Angeles County pathologist said.
The two dead were Anthony Mitchell, a 67-year-old amputee, and his son Justin, who had cerebral palsy.
They waited for emergency services to arrive and did not make it to safety when the flames roared, Mitchell’s daughter Hajime White told The Washington Post.
Shari Shaw told KTLA that she tried to get her 66-year-old brother, Victor Shaw, to evacuate Tuesday night, but he wanted to stay and fight the fire.
Crews found his body with a garden hose in hand.
On Thursday, rescue crews pulled a body from the rubble of a Malibu beach residence.
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Aaron Lubeley (2nd right) hugs a family member and cries as he looks at the charred remains of his home during the Eaton fire Credit: AFP
Celebrities lose their homes in wildfires
The bushfires did not spare the homes of the rich and famous with Hollywood A-listers tragically seeing their homes reduced to smoldering ruins.
Among those whose homes were burned are:
- John Goodman
- Anthony Hopkins
- Paris Hilton
- Leighton Meester and Adam Brody
- Billy Crystal
- Miles Teller
- Eugene Levy
- Anna Faris
- Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag
- James Woods
- Hunter Biden
Other celebrities were forced to leave their homes after evacuation orders were issued around the Palisades fire and the Sunset fire.
They include:
- Mark Hamill
- Mandy Moore
- Tom Hanks
- Reese Witherspoon
- Ben Affleck
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