Arson suspect arrested in Woodland Hills near Kenneth Fire

Arson suspect arrested in Woodland Hills near Kenneth Fire

Arson suspect arrested in Woodland Hills near Kenneth Fire

A potential arson suspect was arrested Thursday evening near the Kenneth Fire area, as firefighters work tirelessly to contain the flames threatening homes in Calabasas and West Hills.

Los Angeles police responded around 4:30 p.m. to reports of a man allegedly attempting to start a fire on the 21700 block of Ybarra Road in Woodland Hills. Local residents who reportedly spotted the suspect detained him until officers arrived. Photos shared on the Citizen app captured the scene, showing officers surrounding a home where the male suspect was taken into custody.

Authorities have not confirmed whether the suspect is linked to the ongoing wildfires, and his identity has not been disclosed.

The Kenneth Fire was first reported around 2:30 p.m. in the dry brush of the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space, just north of the 101 Freeway. By 6 p.m., the blaze had spread to 960 acres with zero containment.

Aerial footage from Sky5 showed helicopters dropping flame retardants and fixed-wing aircraft dumping water along the fire's perimeter to safeguard nearby homes.

An arson investigation is ongoing, with no additional details about the suspect available at this time.


Fire crews across Southern California are also battling several other destructive wildfires, including the Palisades Fire affecting Pacific Palisades and Malibu, and the Eaton Fire in Altadena and Pasadena.