VIDEO: Arson arrests are on the rise across California just as the state faces some of the most dangerous fire weather conditions in years. New data from Cal Fire San Diego shows there have been 125 arson arrests statewide so far this year, which is on track to outpace last yearโs total of 151. Itโs also more than the 111 arrests in 2023. โSo far the San Diego unit has arrested four people for arson and thatโs kind of in line with the rest of the state,โ said Capt. Mike Cornette with Cal Fire. Cornette explained that the figures include the Lilac Fire and Pala Fire back in January. The two fires started less than half an hour apart near the I-15 and State Route 76 in the Pala Mesa and Bonsall areas and scorched nearly 100 acres.
With vegetation at critically dry levels, officials said arson fires are capable of turning small ignitions into fast-moving infernos. โRight now, weโre really sensitive and critical because we are in a drought. We had a dry summer, and weโve also had a limited monsoon,โ said meteorologist Alex Tardy with Weather Echo. Tardy added that fall storms will be crucial as the latest data shows the west is expected to be warmer and dryer than normal. โItโs tricky with Santa Anas because they also seem to be coming in a little bit later shifting deeper into the winter, and if thatโs combined with dry conditions, it really spells for a disaster,โ said Tardy.
In most cases, it is disasters that can be avoided. โWe consider 95% of all of our fires to be human caused,โ said Cornette who added that it could be arson, a person dragging chains down the road of their trailer, or even welding. โThe only way that we reduce that is to limit sparks that we introduce into the wildland and make sure that we have that plan to move forward in case there is a wildland fire,โ Cornette said.
