Boy Playing with Matches Blamed for One of California Wild Fires

One of the 15 wild fires in Southern California that destroyed more than 21 homes and consumed more than 38,000 acres was started by a juvenile boy playing with matches. Unbelievable!  Don’t they still play the public service announcement videos of Smokey the Bear  in school telling children not to play with matches and fire? Kids, “Only You Can Prevent Forest Wild Fires.”

The boy, whose name and age were not released, admitted to sparking the fire on Oct. 21, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Diane Hecht said Tuesday. Ferocious winds helped it quickly spread.

“He admitted to playing with matches and accidentally starting the fire,” Hecht 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. (Yahoo News)

Authorities have blamed an arsonist for setting some of the fires in Orange County, CA that destroyed 16 homes and burned more than 28,000 acres.

Authorities were seeking the driver of a white Ford F-150 pickup truck spotted in a canyon area around 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.

Police: Juvenile admits starting fire that burned 38,000 acres