SoCal Arson Reward Raised To $150,000

2 Fires Considered Arson; At Least 2 Arrested, Another Shot As Investigation Continues

(CBS/AP)  Of the more than one dozen fires that burned through southern California, two are now believed the work of arsonists, reports CBS News correspondent Sandra Hughes.

Authorities are now investigating at the Rosa fire in Riverside County and the much larger Santiago Canyon fire in Orange County and are offering a reward of $150,000 to find the arsonists.

At least two men have been arrested, and authorities questioned a man at the Santiago site Thursday, but would not tell CBS News why.

CBS News first learned yesterday that the massive Santiago Canyon Fire was being deemed arson by a task force of federal, state and local agencies. Officials said the fire had been set in two separate "points of origin."

The fire was set in a particularly strategic spot, said Orange County Fire Authority Chief Chip Prather.

"The persons or persons who did this were either exceptionally lucky or they have some knowledge about where you might want to do the most damage when you set a fire," he said.

"I wonder, frankly, if we didn't have this arson caused fire here, how many of our resources we might have had available to respond to other parts of the state."

The Santiago Fire has burned about 23,000 acres east of Irvine, officials said, and it is around 50 percent contained. Nine homes have been destroyed, with another eight homes and 12 outbuildings damaged. Four firefighters have suffered minor injuries fighting the blaze. As many as 3,000 people were evacuated.

In San Bernardino County, a man suspected of starting a small fire was arrested and another man was shot to death by police after he fled officers who approached to see if he might be trying to set a fire.

In Los Angeles, police arrested a man after witnesses say they saw him lighting a fire on a hillside.

Authorities say 41-year-old Catalino Pineda was seen starting a fire in the San Fernando Valley Wednesday and then walking away.

Witnesses alerted authorities and followed the man to a nearby restaurant where police arrested him.

Pineda was booked for investigation of arson. Authorities say the Guatemala native is currently on probation for making excessive false emergency reports to law enforcement.

Police and fire officials could not immediately say whether he might be connected to any of the wildfires in Southern California.

[Krazcarl]

PLEASE someone turn these low lifes in period.

[tnt1954]

hollywood and california, especially the san
fernando valley where i was born and have lived
all my life, except for 7 months in europe
are hated the whole world over. known as the
place where poison is spread from, unfortunately
too many southern californians look in the mirror
and see snow white, not the wicked queen which
they really are. as others see holywood, not how
they see themselves. most people think holywood
is the most despicable place on earth. growing
up here and living here is not like growing
up in a tiny fishing village in maine. this
is the city that gave the real life stories
for dragnet starring jack webb. the dirty city.
where paranoia is a way of life. and then
there''s all the crazy movies and tv. stars
who really believe they are, the terminator.
most people out here are nuttier than fruitcakes.
its the granola state, dudes. whoa dude. a native
looks at his own state. every deadbeat from around
the world comes here. the gold rush for example.
golddiggers galore.

[anikas88]

sorry about the triple posting my computer mouse glitched, dont mean to spam the comments

[anikas88]

riggie3, can you freakin read they said Guatemalan native, whos on probation who is a citizen or resident cause hes on probation otherwise he would have been deported already, guatemala and mexico are two diffrent countries hence two different nationalities, and dont
lump everyone into a certain category, i live very close to these fires and the last thing i want is people bringing thier politics into this, Im suprised your ignorant azz is not claiming it was terrorist doing this, please dont spread your hate or ignorance on an issue you have no idea on, many people are suffering from this black,white,hispanic,asian,poor,rich,legal or not legal, this type of disaster affects everyone, the last thing we need is hysteria and a scapegoat on these tragic events, please help your nieghbor and fellow man then you can go into your politics

[anikas88]

riggie3, can you freakin read they said Guatemalan native, whos on probation who is a citizen or resident cause hes on probation otherwise he would have been deported already, guatemala and mexico are two diffrent countries hence two different nationalities, and dont
lump everyone into a certain category, i live very close to these fires and the last thing i want is people bringing thier politics into this, Im suprised your ignorant azz is not claiming it was terrorist doing this, please dont spread your hate or ignorance on an issue you have no idea on, many people are suffering from this black,white,hispanic,asian,poor,rich,legal or not legal, this type of disaster affects everyone, the last thing we need is hysteria and a scapegoat on these tragic events, please help your nieghbor and fellow man then you can go into your politics

[anikas88]

riggie3, can you freakin read they said Guatemalan native, whos on probation who is a citizen or resident cause hes on probation otherwise he would have been deported already, guatemala and mexico are two diffrent countries hence two different nationalities, and dont
lump everyone into a certain category, i live very close to these fires and the last thing i want is people bringing thier politics into this, Im suprised your ignorant azz is not claiming it was terrorist doing this, please dont spread your hate or ignorance on an issue you have no idea on, many people are suffering from this black,white,hispanic,asian,poor,rich,legal or not legal, this type of disaster affects everyone, the last thing we need is hysteria and a scapegoat on these tragic events, please help your nieghbor and fellow man then you can go into your politics

[tnt1954]

i had a psychic vision, that the coast guard
and us navy seals fended off enemy submarines
landing fifty thousand rabid pyromaniacs off
of san pedro, ca. they managed to ''take care'' of
most of them, but some saboteurs slipped through.
the vision didn'' say whether they were employees
of dope cartels, from the mexican navy, the venezuelan
commandoes or muslim terrorists, or chinese army
saboteurs, or some other group. so many armies
so little time. do you realize how many groups
and subgroups all over the world, and elsewhere
maybe have it in for southern california? could
be the russians also. most people don''t believe
in psychics. if i was psychic i''d tell ya the
lottery numbers, and who is gonna win the world
series. so therefore, it takes more than being
psychic. as dr. schuller says, anything is possible
with God, even really crummy things. children
caught playing with matches? ''torches'' for the
insurance to bail out of real estate crisis?

[tnt1954]

someone is fanning the flames of discontent.

[poopusbuttus]

CRZMEAT -- Try using some sentences in your diatribe. It''s making it hard for us to read on here. Oh, and by the way, your a dummy Lib.

[Krazcarl]

sbbm I was talking in general of the crime of arson do you watch any TV there were a couple caught in Ca. it happens next time read my post before you run your mouth. No don''t then you couldn''t be a know it all you failed I feel sorry for your family and friends having to put up with you.

[riggie3]

Burn him

[michellem99-2009]

One of my foster brothers were a fire bug and he was a kid..He set fire in the shed where we put in a berrel for trash. There were 5 oil drums full that lead in to the house by pipe thru a carbraeter device..Had them went up I would be here talking to ye. What was he thinking. Them people are not so lucky. I truly don''t understand the male sexx drive..I just don''t as I am female. I asked my E.D. room mate and we think they are more than sick. A crime..A lousey way of being the centre of attn. I FEEL FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LOST AS MOST ARE POOR,SENIORS..what is wrong with them azzes..

[riggie3]

A friggin Mexican??
We need to terrorize them out of this country!
Stop going to businesses that hire them, boycott anything that benifits them. Take a stand America!!

[Krazcarl]

These folks were heroes and good citizens a bench mark for us all. Most arsonist have trouble with the ladies and this is how they get their jollies or disgruntled firman unfortunately theres is a lot of that.

[toldyouso21]

Is this person a legal immigrant? if so, what did his background check in his native land reveal? If not--what does his subsequent check now reveal? Besides those with TB, hepatitis, leprosy, AIDs and other diseases, can we add arsonists to the list of illegal immigrant rapists, murderers, theifs, forgers, prostitutes and others our government wants to give amnesty to?

[drivelphobe]

Supplement....

I just read an article regarding the shooting death of the unnamed criminal. He decided to use his vehicle to ram the police cars rather than do what they told him to do. Good riddance and I hope he hurt before he expired. Maybe they got a chance to spit on him while he was still conscious.

[drivelphobe]

kimflin01.....

That''s another topic. "Man arrested in arson investigation" is the heading for this post.

[kimfin01]

Most of you who made comments are nothing but a bunch of idiots...what about the people who died and all the property that was lost. Get a life people.

[drivelphobe]

MyIDonCBS.....

You sure are quick to take the oppositie side of law enforcement! Are they supposed to let arsons run away? The Cops don''t shoot people for no reason. I think the guy had incendiary material and a gun and had to be stopped. I imagine he couldn''t understand English, so he just did what all criminals do and that is run from the police.

Life is only cheap for the worthless.

[incog-nito]

"another man was shot to death by police after he fled officers who approached to see if he might be trying to set a fire."

If he was trying to flee and wasn''t threatening the officers, why did they shoot him? Something is wrong with that picture.