Two residents of an Oxnard homeless camp were arrested Tuesday for allegedly starting a fire in a wildfire-prone area.
Roberto Banuelos, 43, and Alejandro Ruiz, 29, used propane torches at an illegal campsite in the 5000 block of West Gonzalez Street, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. and set it on fire.
Officials said the encampment was located in an area of ”several privately-owned and managed agricultural and industrial lands,” and that the fire itself was “surrounded by large amounts of dry brush and dead shrubbery.” ”.
“Police learned that Mr. Banuelos and Mr. Ruiz were illegally camping on the property and lit them on fire with a propane torch,” the statement added.
The sheriff’s office said the fire was extinguished because “encampment fires, regardless of size, pose a serious threat to public safety.”
“Due to the rural location of the encampments, fires often spread out of control. These fires pose a threat to others in the area and require many resources due to their remote location. harm local habitats, as well as wildlife and endangered species,” the release added.
Banuelos and Ruiz were arrested on charges of reckless arson and criminal conspiracy, and Banuelos was also arrested on an unrelated warrant.
Jail records show both men have been released and no court information was available on Lewis.
Mr. Banuelos is scheduled to appear in Ventura County Superior Court on June 5, 2025.
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