Kenneth Fire Arsonist Arrested In Woodland Hills, Locals Share Photos Of Suspect
An arson suspect was arrested in connection to the Kenneth fire on Thursday and is being questioned by the Los Angeles Police Department, several media outlets reported, citing sources. Locals in the area shared photos of officers detaining the alleged arsonist in the Woodland Hills area. Authorities are yet to identify the man.
This comes after the Kenneth Fire broke out in Woodland Hills and quickly spread to at least 960 acres. The Los Angeles Fire Department issued an evacuation order. The initial release read: “LAFD is issuing a Mandatory Evacuation Order for Vanowen south to Burbank Blvd. County Lane Road east to E Valley Circle Blvd. This is an immediate evacuation order for all residents within this area."
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According to a Newsweek report, citing an LAPD official, a male was heard on a radio call saying that a suspect was attempting to light a fire at the 21700 block of Ybarra Road in Los Angeles at around 4:30 PM local time. The official further added that the department is 'continuing our investigation and cannot confirm any connection to any fire by this suspect at this time'.
While several photos of the arrest surfaced on social media, there is no other information available about the individual.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman, as per News Nation, said that the penalty for the suspected arsonist could be as high as homicide. This could result in life in prison.
“Justice will be swift. It will be firm, and the maximum punishment will be sought,” Hochman said. “Our goal is to send this warning. Whether it’s looting, these internet scams, robbery, or future arsons. The day and age of a DA’s office standing on the sidelines is over. We want to bring justice, and we will," he further added.
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Homeless man arrested in connection to Kenneth Fire in LA’s West Hills as residents detain him: police
One person has been taken into custody in connection to the Kenneth Fire, which erupted Thursday afternoon in the Los Angeles’ West Hills, as ferocious wildfires continue to tear through Southern California, according to reports.
The LAPD launched an arson investigation at Victory Trailhead, where the devastating fire broke out, with the area being treated as a crime scene, Brian Entin of NewsNation wrote on X.
The Kenneth Fire sparked just after 2:30 p.m. and has since spread over 800 acres and continues to rip through Ventura County, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley told reporters Thursday night.
“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.
How — and why — the fire was started is still not clear, he added, but the blaze is “being investigated as a crime.”
The suspect is a homeless man in his 30s, according to Fox LA’s Elex Michaelson, who added that firefighters “appear to have gained the upper hand” on the blaze.
The Los Angeles Fire Department initially issued mandatory evacuation orders for the area known as Hidden Hills, but downgraded that to mere warnings, Crowley said.
The LAPD would not confirm the arrest or its possible connection to the Kenneth Fire.
At least 20 people were arrested Wednesday and Thursday morning for looting homes damaged or destroyed by the catastrophic wildfires ripping through the City of Angels, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Five separate fires sparked Tuesday morning, and days later have ravaged nearly 30,000 acres (47 square miles) in Los Angeles County, causing mass destruction and evacuations.
Some 130,000 Californians have been under evacuation orders from the multiple major fires, which include the Palisades Fire west of Los Angeles, the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena and the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills.
The largest blaze, the Palisades Fire, has burned nearly 20,000 acres alongside the coast and destroyed more than 5,000 homes and structures in its path.
The out-of-control Eaton Fire has now destroyed or damaged between 4,000 and 5,000 homes as the growing blaze exploded to 13,690 acres on Thursday, officials said.
The cause of the five fires, three of which were completely un-contained, remain unknown and are under investigation.
At least seven people are dead, with the death toll expected to climb.
Arson suspect arrested in Woodland Hills near Kenneth Fire
A possible arson suspect was arrested Thursday night near the Kenneth Fire area as fire crews continue battling flames burning near homes in Calabasas and West Hills.
At around 4:30 p.m., Los Angeles police responded to reports of a man attempting to light a fire in the 21700 block of Ybarra Road in Woodland Hills.
Residents who reportedly spotted the suspect held him down until officers arrived. Photos of the arrest shared on the Citizen app show officers surrounding a home where a male suspect was apprehended.
Authorities have not confirmed whether the man was responsible or had any connection with the current wildfires. His identity was not released.
The Kenneth Fire was first reported around 2:30 p.m. in an area of dry brush in the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space just north of the 101 Freeway. By 6 p.m., the fire grew to 960 acres with zero containment.
Sky5 footage showed helicopters dropping flame retardant around the fire’s perimeter and fixed-wing aircraft dumping water to protect homes.
An arson investigation is underway and no further details on the suspect were released.
Crews across Southern California are working to contain several devastating wildfires as the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and Malibu and the Eaton Fire in Altadena and Pasadena continue growing.
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Kenneth Fire in West Hills being investigated as arson, person detained
The Brief
LOS ANGELES - As firefighters are stretched thin battling several fires across Los Angeles County, a new fire sparked Thursday afternoon in West Hills.
The fire sparked around 2:30 p.m. near Victory Blvd. and County Oak Rd. in the West Hills/ Hidden Hills area.
As of 7 p.m. Thursday, the Kenneth fire burned nearly 960 acres, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. While the fire remains 0% contained, forward progress has been stopped.
It began in the city of LA and quickly spread to Ventura County.
According to LAPD, the fire is being investigated as arson and a person has been detained.
The police department released the following statement, "Today, at 4:32 p.m., a radio call was generated on the 21700 block of Ybarra Road for a possible arson suspect. A male was heard stating a suspect was "attempting to light a fire." The suspect is in custody and was transported to Topanga Station."
Shortly before 5:30 p.m., all mandatory orders were downgraded to an evacuation warning, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Those mandatory evacuation orders included Vanowen St. south to Burbank Blvd. County Lane Road east to E. Valley Circle Blvd.
The previous evacuation warnings were lifted around 5:30 p.m. Those included areas bordered by: Ingomar St. / Saticoy St. south to Burbank Blvd., and Valley Circle Blvd. east to Woodlake Ave.
Meanwhile in Ventura County, evacuation warnings were lifted at 7 p.m. for the Oak Park area near Kanan Road and Agoura Road, east of Kanan Road to Deer Hill and the Bell Canyon community.
Fire officials say the fire is now burning solely in Ventura County.
An interactive map can be viewed here.
Resources from the Palisades fire are being sent to West Hills.
California Wildfire Live Updates: Death Toll From All Fires Reaches 7 As Police Arrest Arson Suspect Near Kenneth Fire
The Palisades Fire, one of five active blazes in Los Angeles County, grew to nearly 20,000 acres Thursday, according to authorities, as the region endures historically destructive blazes that have so far killed at least seven people.
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The Palisades Fire began around 10:30 a.m. local time Tuesday and burned 19,978 acres as of Thursday evening, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which issued evacuation orders for residents of the Palisades and for those living along a long stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway. Cal Fire continued to report 0% fire containment Thursday afternoon. Los Angeles Fire Department chief Kristin M. Crowley said Thursday “it is safe to say that the Palisades fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles,” noting preliminary reports estimate thousands of structures have been damaged or destroyed, The New York Times reported.
The second blaze, called the Eaton Fire, began Tuesday evening in Eaton Canyon near the San Gabriel Mountains and grew rapidly Wednesday to cover 10,600 acres, with 0% contained as of Thursday afternoon. The Eaton Fire also triggered a round of mandatory evacuations in the nearby areas of Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre. City officials said Thursday more than 1,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed in the greater Pasadena area.
The Kenneth Fire began at 3:34 p.m. with 50 acres engulfed by flames before the blaze grew to 960 acres a few hours later. Authorities urged residents of Hidden Hills to act quickly and evacuate as evacuation warnings spread further west into the city of Agoura Hills. Authorities also warned Malibu residents to keep a close eye on new evacuation orders or warnings that may be prompted by the Kenneth fire.
The Hurst Fire was reported later Tuesday night after it broke out near the Los Angeles-area suburban neighborhood of Sylmar, north of the rest of the city. Shortly after it was reported, the Los Angeles Fire Department issued evacuation orders in the area, warning of a “rapid rate of spread.” As of an 8:30 a.m. PST update Thursday, the Hurst fire covered 671 acres, as authorities contained 10% of the blaze.
The Lidia Fire was first reported Wednesday afternoon, burned 348 acres and was 60% contained Thursday morning, according to Cal Fire. Anthony Marrone, fire chief for Los Angeles County, said Thursday forward progress on the fire had been stopped. LAist reported the fire, which began in the Angeles National Forest, posed such an extreme threat that the forest will remain closed for at least one week.
The Sunset Fire, which broke out Wednesday evening, grew to engulf around 43 acres. Bass said Thursday the fire was fully contained. Evacuation orders in the area were lifted at 7:30 a.m., and LAFD advised residents returning to their homes to use caution as workers were still in the area. The fire burned near a number of Hollywood landmarks, including the popular urban hiking trail Runyon Canyon, Hollywood Boulevard and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The Woodley Fire was first reported Wednesday morning, and fire crews were able to hold the fire to 30 acres, LAist reported. It was reported as 100% contained Thursday and officials said there were no current threats tied to it.
JPMorgan analysts led by Jimmy Bhullar estimated in a note Thursday there could be $50 billion in total damages, including $20 billion in insured losses, though they noted “estimates of potential economic and insured losses are likely to increase.” Those estimates would place the fires as the costliest in U.S. history. Jasper Cooper, vice president-senior credit officer at Moody’s Ratings, said the credit rating business expects “insured losses to run in the billions of dollars given the high value of homes and businesses in the impacted areas,” adding “commercial property losses could be significant.”
A mix of extremely gusty winds, drought conditions and low humidity created conditions conducive for fires to quickly spread. The appearance of weather conditions suggestive of La Niña, a climate phenomenon linked to drier conditions and drought in southern parts of the U.S., likely played a large part in priming southern California for extreme fire conditions this week. Los Angeles in particular has seen an underwhelming amount of rain in the last eight months alongside a dry winter. The last time the city recorded over a tenth of an inch of rainfall was last May, according to the Los Angeles Times, contributing to drought. The dry conditions paired with historically strong winds gave way to this week’s fires. Wind gusts of up to 99 mph were reported near Altadena and other nearby areas early Wednesday. The National Weather service forecast wind gusts of 50 to 80 mph in parts of southern California and up to 100 mph gusts in mountains and foothills into Wednesday night. The conditions are the result of a wind pattern called the Santa Ana winds or “devil winds,” which are often fast-moving, dry and warm winds that originate inland, around Nevada and Utah, and blow toward the coastal regions of Southern California. Cal Fire is still investigating the specific causes for each of the fires blazing in Los Angeles County.
The Eaton Fire has killed at least five people, multiple outlets reported Wednesday. Earlier in the day, Marrone confirmed two were killed and said there have also been a “high number of significant injuries to residents who did not evacuate.” A 25-year-old firefighter sustained a serious head injury while combatting the Palisades Fire on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Fire Department told NBC News. There were “multiple burn victims” who were treated by medical officials, though the number of people who were treated is not immediately known.
See a full list here. Paris Hilton, who wrote she had evacuated her home, reportedly lost her Malibu home to the fire. Billy Crystal and his wife Janice said they lost their Pacific Palisades home to the fire, after first moving to the location in 1979. Jamie Lee Curtis, who appeared on “The Tonight Show” on Wednesday, said she likely lost her home to the fire and wrote on Instagram calling for people to “reach out to anyone who lives in Los Angeles” to offer assistance. Eugene Levy, the Pacific Palisades’ honorary mayor, told the Los Angeles Times he fled his home and said the “smoke looked pretty black and intense over Temescal Canyon.” Meanwhile, actor Mark Hamill wrote on Instagram Tuesday that he evacuated his Malibu home, while Vice President Kamala Harris’ home in Los Angeles was put under an evacuation order, though no one was in the home at the time the order was placed, spokesperson Ernesto Apreza said.
Curtis, who advocated in a “Tonight Show” appearance Wednesday for people to donate to relief efforts, said on Instagram on Thursday she was donating $1 million to start a support fund for the city and people impacted by the fire. The Los Angeles Chargers announced Wednesday they were giving $200,000 to wildfire relief efforts. Bethenny Frankel’s charity also announced on Fox News on Thursday it was raising money for California wildfire victims.
No—despite social media rumors and AI-generated images. Read more here.
All Los Angeles Unified Schools will remain closed Friday after being shut down Thursday. Al schools under the Pasadena Unified School District will remain closed throughout the week. Several other school districts in the region also canceled classes Wednesday through Friday, including the Glendale Unified School District and Burbank Unified School District, and two other area districts—Alhambra Unified School District and South Pasadena Unified School District—closed through Thursday. Pepperdine University announced Thursday morning its undergraduate classes and the “vast majority” of its graduate classes on the Malibu campus will take place online through Jan. 19. The university’s Calabasas campus closed Wednesday, with administrators noting students with classes scheduled for Calabasas, West Los Angeles or the Irvine campuses “will receive further guidance from their deans and/or supervisors.”
The Critics Choice Awards—slated for Sunday—were postponed due to the fires, the organization told Variety. Several other TV shows—from “Jimmy Kimmel Live” to “NCIS”—paused production (see here for a list). The Screen Actors Guild canceled it in-person awards nomination ceremony on Wednesday because of the wildfires “in an abundance of caution.” The nominations will be announced on the SAG Awards website on Thursday, the guild said. Universal Studios said its park in Hollywood would close Wednesday because of “extreme winds and fire conditions,” adding they expect to reopen on Thursday. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences extended its voting deadline for the 97th Academy Awards by two days, according to multiple outlets. The voting period, which is now open, is set to conclude Tuesday due to the delay. The announcement of this year’s Oscar nominees will also be pushed back two days, and is now scheduled for Jan. 19.
The Thursday matchup between the Lakers and Hornets was postponed with no indication of a make-up date. A Wednesday night NHL game between the Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames at Crypto.com Arena was also postponed and has yet to be rescheduled. A women’s college basketball game featuring Pepperdine University and the University of Portland scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday was postponed, according to the West Coast Conference. The city’s SoFi Stadium was the initial venue for the Jan. 13 NFL wild-card playoff game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings, but was switched to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, in the interest of public safety. The NFL did not provide any information on ticket refunds at the time of the announced change of venues.
Los Angeles International Airport, located about 19 miles south of the Pacific Palisades, has not experienced significant flight cancellations as of Thursday morning, according to FlightAware. Just 1% of departures were canceled and 5% were delayed as of 8:55 a.m. PST. Some flights were disrupted at the much smaller Hollywood Burbank Airport: About 8% of departures were delayed and another 1% were canceled Thursday.
The NWS issued an extreme fire weather alert—its highest designation for fire potential—from Wednesday to Thursday for a 2,356-square mile stretch of land that includes areas such as Glendale, Oxnard, Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks and Pasadena.
President-elect Donald Trump and one of his key advisers, Elon Musk, have been critical of the local government’s response to the fire since they broke out. In a Thursday post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Musk claimed “the immense loss of homes in LA is primarily due to” bad governance leading to a shortage of water and “nonsensical overregulation that prevented creating fire breaks and doing brush clearing.” Trump has also taken aim at Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, saying on Truth Social Thursday “nobody has ever seen such failed numbers before!” (referring to the Palisades Fire’s zero containment) and blamed it on “gross incompetence” by Newsom and Bass.
With negligible rain in 8 months, Southern California swings toward drought (LA Times)
Residents flee on foot as Palisades Fire torches hillside homes (LAist)
Another Arson Suspect Arrested In Los Angeles? Massive Police Presence Spotted Amid Fires
Soon after reports about citizens detaining a possible arson suspect in the West Valley area of Los Angeles, a massive police motorcade was seen in the city. NBC News reported that investigators are looking into whether that individual was responsible for the Kenneth fire.
Referring to the blaze in Kenneth, LAPD senior lead officer Charles Dinsel told NewsNation a suspect is in custody suspected of intentionally causing the blaze. He further added that the fire is now being investigated as a crime.
"About 20-30 minutes later a suspect was detained over in Woodland Hills area by citizens. It is being investigated as a crime." The Daily Mail cited sources to report that a resident called 911 to report a male attempting to set a fire at the 21700 block of Ybarra road at around 4:30 PM local time.
Social media users, mostly locals, posted videos of dozens of police cars moving rapidly on a freeway. They said that the vehicles were not going to evacuation zones.
WATCH:
"somethings weird. there’s a MASSIVE police presence heading east on the ten near downtown Los Angeles. I’ve never seen that long of a line of law enforcement in LA and they’re not heading towards any evacuation zone or active fire (the opposite direction actually). I have no idea what’s going on. Anyone in Los Angeles know what this is?" one person asked on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
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"What the hell is going on that requires that many police cars? The entire 10 Freeway is completely LIT UP with emergency lights!" another one added.
The Los Angeles Police Department is yet to issue a formal statement explaining the heavy presence amid the multiple fires in the county.
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