Convicted arsonist arrested in probe of 8 Angeles Forest fires

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Convicted arsonist arrested in probe of 8 Angeles Forest fires

LANCASTER, Calif.—A convicted arsonist was arrested for investigation of setting multiple fires in the Lake Hughes area of the Angeles National Forest last month, officials said Thursday.

Sheriff's deputies arrested Ricky Jimenez, 52, on Wednesday during a probe into eight fires that were set at the end of October, when firefighters were already battling huge wildfires fires elsewhere in Southern California.

Firefighters doused all eight fires, the largest of which was one acre.

Los Angeles County prosecutors on Thursday were determining whether charges would be filed against Jimenez.

Jimenez was convicted in the past of arson-related offenses and is a registered arsonist, a Sheriff's Department statement said. Deputy Bill Brauberger of the Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau could not elaborate on the past offenses.

Jimenez was being held on $75,000 bail and was expected to appear at the Antelope Valley courthouse in Lancaster on Friday.

Source: The Associated Press - SJMN Article

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Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

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Saturday, December 1, 2007