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By Martha McHardy
US News Reporter
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Amid escalating wildfire dangers, a group of California residents took matters into their own hands, chasing down a man suspected of starting a new fire on Monday.
Newsweek has contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for comment via online form.
Why It Matters
So far, the wildfires have killed 29 people and destroyed more than 16,000 homes and businesses. Rebuilding costs are expected to exceed $135 billion.
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Investigators are working to determine what caused the fires, with some pointing to arson as an explanation.
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What To Know
Residents held the man, identified as 41-year-old Alejandro Martinez, until Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene.
Witnesses said they saw Martinez light a brush fire near Knapp Ranch Road and Woolsey Canyon Road and then followed him in a car as he tried to leave the area.
The incident was filmed by video journalist Gabe Cortez and posted on Instagram. In the video, a man can be seen running down a road as he is chased by a group of residents in cars. Several members of the group physically detained Martinez.
When Cortez arrived at the scene, the fire was being put out by firefighters. Deputies later arrived at the scene to find Martinez lying on the ground, according to the Sheriff's Department. Witnesses said he surrendered and lay down on the ground.
"Wrong neighborhood, buddy," someone said as deputies handcuffed him, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Martinez was arrested on suspicion of arson, according to the Sheriff's Department.
A suspect dressed in dark clothing was seen in the area around the time the fire ignited, the Sheriff's Department told KNBC-TV. A witness, who reported the incident, followed the suspect by car as he allegedly attempted to start a second fire, according to the station. However, the Sheriff's Department later clarified that witnesses saw the suspect, identified as Martinez, set one fire.
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) responded to the 24000 block of Woolsey Canyon Road shortly before 4:30 p.m. after receiving a call reporting smoke near the reservoir. Initial estimates indicated a 50-by-50-foot spot fire, LAFD spokesperson Lyndsey Lantz said.
Firefighters, aided by aerial support and crews from the LAFD, quickly contained the blaze before it could spread further.
It comes after wildfires ripped through many parts of the Los Angeles area in January, killing 29 people and destroying tens of thousands of homes and businesses.
With all of the wildfires now contained, a clean-up operation is underway. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works is spearheading the debris removal efforts.
As part of Phase 1, crews from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been working to clear household hazardous materials. The step, which is mandatory, is provided to residents at no cost. Debris clean-up is also underway at schools affected by the Eaton fire, which destroyed at least 7,000 structures.
Meanwhile, evacuation orders are still in place in parts of the Palisades, where wildfires burned through more than 23,000 acres.
What Caused The Wildfires?
The official cause of the fires has not been determined. However, it is believed that the combination of drought-like conditions and powerful offshore winds prompted fire weather that was, in the words of the National Weather Service, "about as bad as it gets."
However, some have pointed to other explanations for the cause of the fires.
"We had numerous fires in the L.A. County region almost simultaneously, which leads us to believe that these fires were intentionally set by a person," Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone told the BBC last month.
At least eight people have been arrested in connection with setting recent fires in Los Angeles, according to CNN. Suspects have set "trees, bushes, leaves and trash ablaze," officials said.
Gavin Newsom Under Fire
Amid the devastation caused by the wildfires, California Governor Gavin Newsom has come under fire by President Donald Trump as well as residents in the state.
Trump has blamed water shortages during the response on California's water management policies—a claim that state officials deny. It comes after some hydrants went dry as firefighters were trying to battle the blazes. California officials have said that it was because of the high local demand.
Nonetheless, the president has called on Newsom to resign over the claim, referring to him as "Newscum" on social media.
He has also vowed not to give California anymore federal aid until the state changes its water policies.
"I don't think we should give California anything until they let water flow down from the north to the south," Trump said in a recent Fox News interview.
In response, Newsom's team said: "Disaster assistance should not be delayed or denied based on how people voted. That would be un-American," Newsom's senior adviser, Robert Salladay, told The Guardian in an email.
Trump also falsely claimed that the U.S. military had "entered" California and "TURNED ON THE WATER." State authorities denied the claim. "The military did not enter California. The federal government restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days. State water supplies in Southern California remain plentiful," the California Department of Water Resources said on X, formerly Twitter.
Meanwhile, a group of California residents are attempting to remove Newsom from his position, with an intent to recall petition reaching the required number of signatures to move to the next stage last week. The group will have 160 days to gather the 1.3 million signatures to put the recall petition on the ballot for Californians to vote on.
Trump last week visited Los Angeles, where he was greeted by Newsom on the tarmac. Newsom was reportedly not invited to meet Trump at the airport but showed up anyway. That was after transition officials reportedly never responded to Newsom's letter inviting the then-president-elect to visit two weeks earlier.
Newsom is scheduled to meet with Trump on Wednesday in Washington, where they will discuss the issue of federal aid.
"The Governor's trip is focused on securing critical disaster aid for the survivors of the Los Angeles fires and ensuring impacted families who lost their homes and livelihoods have the support they need to rebuild and recover," Brandon Richards, deputy director for rapid response in the governor's office, said in a statement Tuesday.
What People Are Saying
Video journalist Gabe Cortez told the Los Angeles Times: "He was avoiding the group following him. He seemed to be telling them to pass him up. And then you can see in my video that someone started to chase him and he appeared scared.
"Thank God there were no strong winds, because it could have gone so much worse. Given all the recent fires, communities and people are just so much more aware of these types of things now and they're on high alert."
What Happens Next
Martinez is being held on $75,000 bail at the Lost Hills sheriff's station. He is expected to appear in criminal court on Wednesday.
Investigators are working to determine what caused the fires.
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