SAN DIEGO (RNN) – Police said two teenagers were arrested late Thursday after they tried to start brush fires in the San Diego area, San Diego NBC News 7 is reporting.
Blazes around San Diego have consumed more than 10,000 acres and caused thousands of people to evacuate homes. Houses also have been consumed. At least one badly burned body has been recovered, according to CNN.
Police said 19-year-old Isaiah Silva of Escondido, and a 17-year-old juvenile were arrested at about 8:20 p.m. for attempted arson.
Tips from callers and descriptions of the two led to the arrests. A witness called the police after the two suspects were seen to be possibly starting another fire.
".... (The witness) actually went in foot pursuit, they were on bicycles and were able to flee the area, but again we have a number of officers that are on patrol in Escondido tonight and we were able to locate two persons that matched that general description," Lt. Neal Griffin, of the Escondido Police, said.
The teens are being questioned by police for two of the brush fires.
Firefighters are desperately trying to get the fires under control, but the weather conditions are hindering efforts.
High temperatures and winds, along with dry land conditions are fueling the fires - even creating fire tornadoes.
"Those firenadoes, or fire tornadoes, that you're looking at is an example of the critical fire weather and the explosive fire growth that we're seeing out here. Our fuel conditions are at a critical level. And we're in May. These are levels that we normally wouldn't see until August, September, so I can tell you yesterday was a very difficult firefight," Capt. Mike Mohler, of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said.
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