A 45-year-old West Covina man is being held on $1 million bail after investigators say he intentionally set four separate fires at the same wilderness park over a four-month stretch this summer. Christopher Joseph Ramirez was arrested on suspicion of setting the fires at Galster Wilderness Park between May and August, and officials say the case now sits with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office as he faces possible felony charges.
Ramirez was booked on four felony counts of arson involving both property and forest land, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, which reported he was booked into the city’s jail in lieu of $1 million bail. MyNewsLA reported that the case is now in the hands of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office as Ramirez faces possible felony charges. KTLA identified Ramirez as the suspect police say is responsible for all four fires at the same park.
Four Fires, One Park, Four Months
According to the station’s report, the four blazes occurred at Galster Wilderness Park. At least one of the fires was set on June 13, per the same account. Authorities said the fires were intentionally set during the summer months; each consumed several acres and was extinguished before spreading to nearby homes.
The four fires collectively burned approximately 20 acres.
Firefighters Protected Homes Despite Steep Terrain
Despite the threat to nearby homes, the West Covina Fire Department said it quickly contained and extinguished the fires before they could spread to or damage residences, according to the Tribune. A city fire department statement said the fires required additional resources from fire departments throughout the San Gabriel Valley and neighboring communities, and that aerial firefighting resources were deployed to help contain the flames and protect nearby homes. Firefighters on the ground operated in challenging conditions that included steep terrain, dense vegetation and high temperatures, the statement said.
Wider Pattern of Arson Cases Across the Region
Other arson cases across Southern California include a 70-year-old Santa Clarita man charged in a federal criminal complaint over the Bouquet Fire, which erupted near his home on Bouquet Canyon Road on October 3 and burned approximately 1,048 acres of federal land, according to the Orange County Register. If convicted of the federal arson charge, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, NBC Los Angeles reported.
In a far larger case, a judge found Ronnie Stout guilty of purposefully starting California’s Park Fire, which burned approximately 429,000 acres and destroyed 427 homes, according to the Los Angeles Times. The 44-year-old Chico man faces 25 years to life following his conviction.
What California Law Says About Arson
Ramirez is reported to face felony arson counts as the case moves to prosecutors for review.
