A suspect has been detained in connection to the Kenneth Fire, which broke out on Thursday afternoon in the West Hollywood Hills as ferocious wildfires continue to devastate areas across Southern California, according to reports. The catastrophic fire that triggered mass evacuations is now being probed as a case of arson and treating the site as a crime scene.
The Kenneth Fire sparked shortly after 2:30 p.m. and has since scorched more than 800 acres, continuing its path of destruction through Ventura County, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley informed reporters Thursday night. LAPD has now said that they have arrested a man, Brian Entin of NewsNation wrote on X.
Signs of Arson
"About 20 minutes, 30 minutes later a suspect was detained over in the Woodland Hills area by citizens," LAPD Senior Lead Officer Sean Dinse told Entin. The exact cause and motive behind the fire remain unclear, he noted, but authorities are treating the blaze as a criminal investigation.
When asked if he believed the fire was deliberately started, Dinsel responded, "At this time, that's what we believe. Yes."
He said that no clear motive has been identified yet and confirmed that the area has been sealed off for further investigation.
As three massive wildfires continue to rage uncontrollably, authorities are beginning to uncover the extensive destruction left in their wake. By Thursday evening, the death toll had climbed to seven, with reports indicating that at least 10,000 structures have been destroyed.
Sources told the Daily Mail that a resident called 911 around 4:30 p.m. to report a man trying to ignite a fire on the 21700 block of Ybarra Road. The suspect was subsequently arrested and taken to the Topanga station.
According to Elex Michaelson of Fox LA, the suspect is a homeless man in his 30s. He also noted that firefighters "appear to have gained the upper hand" on the blaze.
Los Angeles Continues to Burn
The Los Angeles Fire Department initially ordered mandatory evacuations for the Hidden Hills area but later reduced them to warnings, according to Crowley. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said that at least 20 individuals were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday morning for looting homes that were damaged or destroyed by the devastating wildfires tearing through Los Angeles.
Five separate fires sparked on Tuesday morning, and within days, they have ravaged nearly 30,000 acres (47 square miles) across Los Angeles County, leading to widespread destruction and forced evacuations.
Around 130,000 Californians have been placed under evacuation orders due to the multiple significant wildfires, including the Palisades Fire west of Los Angeles, the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena, and the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills.
The largest of these, the Palisades Fire, has scorched nearly 20,000 acres along the coastline, destroying over 5,000 homes and structures in its path.
The Eaton Fire, which remains uncontained, has now damaged or destroyed an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 homes as it expanded to 13,690 acres on Thursday, officials reported.
The origins of the five fires, three of which remain entirely uncontained, are still unknown and are being investigated.
At least seven people are confirmed dead, with authorities warning that the death toll is likely to rise.
