Authorities in Orange County, California, since Oct. 6 have arrested two suspected arsonists who they say lit fires in Lake Forest.
The first fire was reportedly set on Sunday near Saddleback Church, a non-denominational mega church located about 45 miles southeast of Los Angeles in the smaller community of Lake Forest near Irvine.
Fire officials said the two-acre blaze started in the brush near Portola and Rancho parkways at about 1 p.m. and was under control by 1:35 p.m.
According to Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Thanh Nguyen, a suspect was arrested on Sunday, but because of the ongoing investigation, no details have yet been disclosed to the public.
“After a thorough scene examination, the cause was determined to be intentional, and one suspect is in custody with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department,” the fire authority wrote on X Sunday.
Saddleback Church officials did not return a request for comment about the fire.
In a separate incident, the fire agency responded to a small vegetation fire near Silverado Canyon at about 9:45 a.m. Monday. The fire grew to only one-quarter of an acre and was quickly extinguished, according to Nguyen.
“No homes were damaged and no injuries,” Nguyen told The Epoch Times.
A suspect was also arrested in connection with Monday’s fire.
“They were two separate incidents,” Nguyen said.
Meanwhile, firefighters were battling a growing fire farther south in Campo, about 60 miles east of San Diego on the U.S. border with Mexico.
The fast-moving wildfire started at 2:30 p.m. Monday near the intersection of La Posta Road and Old Highway 80 in Campo, about five miles west of Golden Acorn Casino, according to Cal Fire.
