“The suspect has been taken into custody and was transported to Topanga Station,” the department stated. They added, “Our investigation is ongoing, and we are unable to confirm any connection to any fire by this suspect at this point.” The police have not disclosed the suspect’s age or name, and no further details regarding the incident have been released. USA TODAY has contacted the LAPD for more information.
Smoke can be seen rising from the Kenneth Fire in West Hills, California, on January 9, 2025. On the same day, police announced that one person had been apprehended after reports of a suspect “attempting to start a fire” near the location of the blaze. The Kenneth Fire, burning in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, is currently 35% contained according to Cal Fire’s report on the evening of January 9, 2025. There are no longer any evacuation orders in effect, but evacuation warnings remain in place, highlighted in yellow on the map.
Firefighters are still battling several deadly wildfires that erupted earlier in the week, causing destruction to over 10,000 homes, businesses, vehicles, and other structures by Friday. The initial fires – Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Lidia, and Sunset – have scorched thousands of acres and are continuing to spread due to low humidity and dry vegetation, as mentioned by authorities. Prior to the fires, the National Weather Service had issued its highest alert for extreme fire conditions in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
As of Friday, the official cause of the wildfires is still under investigation by officials. The LAPD’s announcement marked the first mention of suspected arson in connection to any of the fires. Evacuation warnings for the Kenneth Fire are still in place.
The Kenneth Fire began on Thursday afternoon and rapidly grew to nearly 1,000 acres within hours, as reported by Cal Fire. By Friday morning, containment had reached 35%. A suspect was apprehended in connection to a possible arson attempt near Ybarra Road, as per LAPD News.
Mandatory evacuation orders for the Kenneth Fire have been lifted, but evacuation warnings are still in effect for certain areas. The Eaton and Sunset fires are at zero containment, while containment levels for the Palisades, Hurst, and Lidia fires vary. There have been 10 fire-related deaths reported by the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency, and President Joe Biden approved federal assistance as over 100,000 individuals have been displaced due to the wildfires.
Disaster declaration on Wednesday. Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kenneth Fire being investigated as possible arson; suspect in custody.
