A 13-year-old California boy was arrested on suspicion of lighting fireworks that sparked a wildfire in a coastal Southern California town this week, forcing the evacuations of about a hundred canyon homes, authorities said.
Fire crews with air support were able to protect residents and structures from the Rancho Fire, which raced through dry brush Monday afternoon in Laguna Beach. The fire was held to 4 acres (1.6 hectares) with no damage to structures.
The city said in a statement Tuesday that police initially detained two juveniles who they later determined were witnesses, not suspects. “Officers later obtained video evidence clearly showing a juvenile suspect lighting a firework and fleeing the scene,” the statement said.
The 13-year-old boy, who is not being publicly identified, was arrested a short time later and could face charges including felony reckless burning of forest land, officials said. The teen was released into the custody of his parents later that day, police said…