LA fire started by boy with matches

AP via Yahoo News ^

[Santa Fe_Conservative]

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. - A boy playing with matches started a fire in north Los Angeles County that consumed more than 38,000 acres and destroyed 21 homes last week, authorities said Tuesday. Sheriff's Sgt. Diane Hecht said she did not know the boy's exact age, but she believed he was younger than a teenager.

The boy, whose name and age were not released, was interviewed a day after the Buckweed Fire was sparked Oct. 21, said sheriff's Sgt. Diane Hecht.

"He admitted to playing with matches and accidentally starting the fire," said Hecht said in a statement.

The boy was released to his parents, and the case will be be presented to the district attorney's office, Hecht said.

The 60-square-mile fire began in an area near Agua Dulce and quickly spread by fierce desert winds. It was among more than a dozen major wildfires that killed 14 people and blackened 809 square miles from Los Angeles to the Mexican border.

Authorities arrested five people for arson during that period, but none have been linked to any of the major blazes.

[CharlesWayneCT]

Hmm. See, I thought that was a quote from Star Wars.

:-)

[Calpernia]

I don't believe it.

http://www.nationalterroralert.com/updates/2007/10/22/california-fire-battallion-chief-whoever-did-this-knew-what-they-were-doing/

California Fire Battalion Chief - Whoever Did This Knew What They Were Doing

October 22, 2007

Fire officials are now stating that the Orange County Santiago fire was purposely set and there is speculation that other fires may have also been deliberate. See Interactive Map
Fire officials found three separate “points of origin,” all near the intersection of Silverado Canyon Road and Santiago Canyon Road. Two were on one side of the road, and the third was on the other. “Whoever did this knew what they were doing,” said Kris Concepcion, a fire authority battalion chief. Also, the fire traveled 3 miles in its first 20 minutes when it was ignited about 6 p.m. Sunday, he said.
Read Article
We are NOT implying that the California fires are an act of terrorism however; the threat of pyro-terrorist attacks pose a significant risk to the U.S. and the fires in California and in Greece earlier this year should be a wake-up call.
In 2003 an FBI memo alerted law enforcement agencies that an al-Qaeda terrorist being held in detention had talked of masterminding a plot to set a series of devastating forest fires around the western United States.
It was reported that the detainee, who was not identified, said the plan involved three or four people setting wildfires using timed devices in Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming that would detonate in forests and grasslands after the operatives had left the country.
“The detainee believed that significant damage to the U.S. economy would result and once it was realized that the fires were terrorist acts, U.S. citizens would put pressure on the U.S. government to change its policies,” the memo said.
How Can So Many Fires Be By Natural Causes ?
A Local News Radio talk show host in San Diego asked, “how can so many fires, in so many places, in such a short period of time, all be caused by natural causes”.
From USA Today in July of 2003
al-Qaeda Detainee Spoke of Fire Plot
The FBI alerted law enforcement agencies last month that an al-Qaeda terrorist now in detention had talked of masterminding a plot to set a series of devastating forest fires around the western United States.

Rose Davis, a spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, told The Associated Press that officials there took note of the warning but didn’t see a need to act further on it.

The contents of the June 25 memo from the FBI’s Denver office were reported Friday by The Arizona Republic. Davis declined to share a copy of the memo and an FBI spokeswoman in Denver didn’t immediately return a telephone call.

As we have stated before. If you see anything suspicious, report it to law enforcement immediately.

UPDATE: Video - Officials say arson now suspected in Orange County Fire

UPDATE: From Los Angeles Fox News “I’m sad to report this is an arson fire,” OCFA Chief Chip Prather announced at an early morning briefing. “There were three separate starts: two on one side of the road and one on the other, and obviously we are actively investigating that.”

Links - A number of blogs and websites have sprung up to report on the fires. We will provide links to a couple we’ve found.

National Interagency Fire Center

Live Local News Coverage Channel 10 San Diego

Orange County Register

And Still I PersistSign On San Diego Fire Blog

[RDTF]

I don’t believe for one second it was only this kid

[Calpernia]

bump

[green iguana]

Can’t disagree with that post - your first one tho’ seemed rather hasty. I’m sure the family feels terrible about the whole thing, and if they’re good people, they’ll try to do what they can. Publicity of any sort is not what they need right now tho’, and that includes a public apology. There are some bitter people out there who might do something rash if they learned the identity of this family.

[al_c]

I work with a guy who once set his brother on fire. It’s a long story ... I won’t post it.

[lolhelp]

Well, it is clear that you don’t have children and probably shouldn’t.

[monday]

“And unless his parents were criminally neglecting him in some way, same to them. “

It’s up to his parents to make sure he didn’t have the means to start a fire. His parents and their homeowners insurance company are going to be on the hook for all damages. No collage education for this kid and no retirement for his parents, unless they declare bankruptcy and start over from scratch.

[GovernmentShrinker]

The kid is now reported to be 10 years old. I’d like to know just how they can be so sure he really started this big fire. In a situation like this, a child who started a tiny fire while playing with matches could easily be convinced that he started the whole fire that burned many square miles. He almost surely fled when the fire he started got big enough that he couldn’t put it out (like about a square yard), and has no idea what happened to it after that. Given what was going on with all the huge fires in the area, his little fire may have nothing to do with any larger one, other than being mowed over as a huge fire passed through its location.

Color me skeptical about the authorities’ quick conclusion that one of the largest of the fires can be attributed to one quickly located 10 year old boy, who quickly confessed that the whole thing was his own fault.

[conservative blonde]

But that was your personal property you accidently burnt down. Parents must be forgiving to their own child. This kid destroyed the property of strangers. The parents were terribly lax in this instance. This probably was not the first inkling they have gotten that their kid has a firebug problem.

[Khepri]

This story reminds me of the crack dealers that send their kids out the door to sell the garbage.....:/

[Scotswife]

“We had weapons leaning in the corner near the front door.”

nowdays, they’re trying to say a baby shouldn’t be allowed to come home from the hospital to such a house.

My dad’s guns were in his bedroom closet.
We never touched them.

[DoughtyOne]

Yes, you are right.

A number of states want to demand that a social worker come to your home and do an assessment within a week or so after the birth.

Fat chance! Get the hell off my doorstep you insolent expletive deleted.

Thanks for the response.

[Global2010]

So what happen after he dialed 911 to report a murder....meaning I am curious to here the rest of the story.

Did the police come and search or just laugh it off as a busy lil guy exploring.

I bet this was years ago if it was now a days the State would force him onto meds. make you take parenting classes ect...
Zero tolerance kinda thing...just wrong on so many levels.

And yeah I agree with you in that I bet you had plenty of times your heart dang near stopped.

The son must have had his own crew of protective Angels. : )

[dragnet2]

Interesting the 9 year old boys Dad had a job taking care of the “horses”. Not exactly a traditional job in this region.

[GOP_Thug_Mom]

sure, I kept the stuff locked up when they were little. but when they learned that a magnifying glass was great at burning leaves. It didn't take them but a couple days to burn holes in the leather seats of my car and burn little holes the trampoline--all with a little, cheap magnifying glass. (Gasp! we've had a trampoline for 5 years!) That was when they were about 10 and 8. They are 12 and 10 now. We've been funneling their energies in Boy Scouts and the State's Youth Hunting Program.

It's your contempt and lack of empathy for this kid that's repelling.

[dragnet2]

Just now reporting he's a 10 year old...Not 9 year old.

He lived with his parent in a mobile home at the Carousel Ranch for mentally challenged children... The kids Dad worked for the "ranch" taking care of the horses. ..The kid has been sent away to live with other relatives...

Due to the blackout in regards to details surrounding this story, they are speculating now on KFI Los Angeles that this kids folks might be in the country illegally, but no one is saying...They are being very tight lipped about any details in regards to this story. They won't even say if this was intentionally started or if he was just "playing with matches" and accidentally started the fire.

The lack of details here is rather inquisitive.

[dragnet2]

The latest is now, Homeland Security is saying the kid is 12 years old...So far it’s gone from 9 to 10 and now it’s 12 years old.

[DoughtyOne]

Please point to one post where I damned this kid. Then please point to the post where I expressed anger at this kid.

Where do you get this stuff?

At the present time the Los Angeles County district attorney is reviewing whether this kid will be charged for setting the fire and his parents are being considered for charges as well.

Whether you like it or not, and whether I like it or not, this is was these folks face. I find nothing to be happy about here. I don’t wish the parents or the kid any hardship. The problem is, it’s not up to me.

If those who lost homes decide to launch civil suits, this family could be tied up for decades. You act as if this were my fault. You act as if I were the one advocating for this. All I am doing is pointing out what this type of act exposes the family to.

It had been my intention to make some suggestions that would help folks avoid being put in the same position. If you think that’s an awful thing for me to seek to do, that’s you’re right. I can’t imagine for the life of me why you would fault me for this, but be my guest.

When I suggested people lock matches away, it was as if I had said children shouldn’t get to read their Bible. It’s amazing the angst some of you have had at my suggestion. Okay, your kids found a magnifying glass and burned holes in your property. I guess that means no attempt whatsoever should be made to help kids avoid making bad decisions, by removing temptation. That seems to be what you are saying. If you or anyone else wants to let kids have access to matches, it’s fine by me. Unless my home is one that gets burned down, it won’t be my problem.

[DogandPonyShow]

You assume many facts not evident.