Azusa police announced Friday night that they arrested a man suspected of starting a brush fire in a park not far from where the Eaton Fire is still burning.
According to the Azusa Police Department, officers were dispatched to Pioneer Park, 1360 North Dalton Drive, around 11:37 p.m. in response to a report of a wildfire.
Upon arriving at the park, witnesses alerted officers that the person who started the fire was still at the scene.
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The man, a temporary worker named Jose Carranza Escobar, was seen “standing by the flames” and the Los Angeles County Fire Department, which was already stretched thin due to massive wildfires in Southern California. responded and extinguished the fire and was immediately taken into custody.
Carranza, whose last known address was in Azusa, later admitted to starting the fire. He was then booked into the Azusa Police Station jail on charges of arson.
The local public works department will be working to assess the damage caused by the fire.
“The Azusa Police Department is asking everyone to remain vigilant as fires continue to impact the county,” the department said. “We must be wary of individuals who may enter our communities with the intent of starting fires.”
Officials say APD has added officers on duty as the fire continues. The Department will also continue to provide support to agencies responding to fires to ensure the safety of communities.
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Azusa is located directly east of Duarte, and some areas remain under evacuation orders due to the Eaton Fire.
At the time of publication, the Eaton Fire had burned more than 11,000 acres and was only 15% contained. A total of eight people died in the fires, which will likely end up being one of the costliest national disasters in California’s history.
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