Residents apprehended a man who they say tried to ignite a fire close to the perimeter of the Kenneth Fire. A homeless suspect in his 30s had used some kind of “flamethrower-like” device to ignite debris on Ybarra Road. Community quickness and citizen’s arrest averted more destruction.
The LAPD stated that they received a 911 call regarding a male attempting to set a fire at 4:32 pm in the Woodland Hills neighborhood. Authorities apprehended a suspect two hours later and took him to Topanga Station for questioning. While the cause of the Kenneth Fire remains under investigation, law enforcement is considering it as an arson incident.
Eyewitness accounts are pretty clear on how events unfolded leading to the suspect’s arrest. Renata Grinshpun of Los Angeles described how one man was seen with what was variously described as a large propane tank or flamethrower and attempting to set fire to debris in the area. “We really banded together as a group,” Grinshpun said. “A few gentlemen surrounded him and got him on his knees. They used zip ties and a rope to perform a citizen’s arrest.”
The suspect reportedly said he was smoking marijuana with the device because he couldn’t afford a lighter, but his actions greatly outraged residents who were already battling the chaos caused by the Kenneth Fire.
The Kenneth Fire has burned 960 acres as of January 10, 2025, and is still at 0% containment. Evacuation orders have displaced thousands of residents in West Hills, Calabasas, and Hidden Hills due to the fire. Firefighters, both by air retardant drops and ground crews, fight the fire, but strong Santa Ana winds continue to feed the blaze.
It’s not the only one among many different wildfires engulfing Los Angeles County. The Kenneth Fire in Altadena and the Palisades Fire together have burned over 10,000 structures, with ten lives lost. At nearly 20,000 acres consumed by the fire, the Palisades was among the big ones in regional recorded history.
The LAPD has declined to release the suspect’s name but confirmed that he faces severe arson charges. The DA’s office stated that if convicted, he may serve life imprisonment. Investigators remain hard at work to determine if the suspect is directly linked to the Kenneth Fire’s origin or other wildfires in the area.
“At this time, that’s what we believe,” said Senior Lead Officer Sean Dinse. “It’s being investigated as a crime.”
The death toll from the wildfires keeps mounting, with over 100,000 residents having been evacuated from the area. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office has confirmed ten deaths, while continuing to work on identifying other victims. Sheriff Robert Luna said, “There are still spot fires and gas leaks. We’re dealing with a very fluid and active environment. Amid all that destruction, a little bit of resilience showed through in this Woodland Hills neighborhood. Quick thinking among residents helped detain the suspect and likely prevented further destruction. “This is our neighborhood,” Grinshpun said. “We had to act fast, and we did.”
