A suspected arsonist had firefighters and officers racing along a busy stretch of Burbank Boulevard in Van Nuys on Wednesday morning after three separate rubbish fires were reported in less than three hours. Crews quickly snuffed out the small blazes while police searched for a man in his 40s, last seen pushing a shopping cart westbound. Officials said no one was hurt and no buildings were in danger.
According to KTLA, the first call came in around 7:53 a.m. for a rubbish fire in the 15000 block of Burbank Boulevard. Firefighters were called back at about 8:11 a.m. for a second burning pile, then again around 9:59 a.m. for a third. The Los Angeles Fire Department told KTLA that crews fully extinguished all three fires and requested LAPD assistance, and authorities reported no injuries or property damage.
Fires Follow Another Burbank Boulevard Blaze
The back-to-back calls hit just one day after a grass fire along the same corridor in the Sepulveda Basin near 16400 W. Burbank Boulevard, which also brought out arson detectives and was quickly knocked down, per a report on a Sepulveda Basin grass fire. That earlier incident highlighted how quickly even small flames can take off along the boulevard's grassy stretches.
What Investigators Are Doing
LAPD deployed both air and ground units to sweep the area, and officers were sent to the 15400 block on a call about a possible arson suspect. It remained unclear as of Wednesday morning whether anyone had been detained, KTLA reports. Radio traffic indicated the fires might be connected, and LAFD's arson unit has been assigned to investigate the trio of rubbish burns.
Potential Charges
If a suspect is identified and prosecutors decide to file, deliberately setting fires can qualify as arson under California law. Penal Code section 451 makes it a crime to willfully and maliciously set fire to property, with stiffer penalties when people or occupied buildings are put at risk, according to FindLaw. For now, investigators are still working to understand what sparked the fires and who might be responsible.
How To Report Tips
Anyone with information about the fires or the suspect is asked to contact the LAPD Van Nuys Community Police Station at 818-374-9500, or call 9-1-1 in an emergency, according to the department's contact guidance. This story will be updated if authorities release additional details.
