Transient Charged In Starting Brush Fire In Montebello Riverbed

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A transient was charged Tuesday with sparking a brush fire that has burned nearly 400 acres in the Montebello Hills, authorities said.

Arturo Miallan Aguilar, 45, was arrested Sunday night, hours after the Lincoln Fire started in the Rio Hondo riverbed in Montebello and spread into the hills.

Aguilar, a transient, was arraigned in downtown Los Angeles on a charge of recklessly causing a fire, according to the District Attorney's Office.

The blaze, which began around 1:30 p.m. Sunday, was 80 percent contained as of Tuesday morning, fire officials said.

While the scene had few active flames remianing, crews were using water drops and hand crews to prevent any flare-ups, according to Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Randall Wright.

Police say Aguilar was apparently trying to cook a meal when the fire spread.

If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison, according to prosecutors.

The case remains under investigation by the Montebello Fire Department.

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