On Thursday, January 9, 2025, a Los Angeles resident called 911 to report that a man was attempting to start a fire on the 21700 block of Ybarra Road. The authorities identified the suspect as Juan Manuel Sierra Leyva, a homeless Mexican citizen.
Although he was arrested near the beginning of one of the three wildfires plaguing the region, the police determined that there was not enough probable cause to charge him with arson. Instead, Sierra Leyva was arrested for a violation of probation, reported Dominic Choi, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department.
Meanwhile, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that they will file a detention request against Sierra Leyva, but it is unlikely to be granted due to the sanctuary state law in California.
Who is the other arsonist arrested?
In another incident, Rubén Montes, 29 years old, was arrested on Sunday in Irwindale, California, when firefighters caught him using a blowtorch to start fires. Although Montes was arrested on charges of arson, authorities have not yet determined if he is linked to the other fires devastating Los Angeles. The police have also not provided information on where he is being held or the extent of the damage he may have caused.
The situation is critical in Los Angeles
The sheriff of Los Angeles County, Robert Luna, warned that the situation is critical and that the fires could continue spreading in the next few hours.
The fires have ravaged more than 40,000 acres and destroyed 12,300 buildings, including exclusive neighborhoods, high-end restaurants and celebrity mansions. So far, authorities have confirmed 24 deaths and warn that the number could increase as dozens of people are still missing.
Search teams with tracking dogs are searching for human remains among the charred rubble, while thousands of evacuees wait to return to what is left of their homes.
With the flames ravaging wealthy neighborhoods and the number of fatalities on the rise, Los Angeles is facing one of the worst forest fire crises in its recent history. Authorities continue to investigate the incidents and work to extinguish the four fires that are still out of control.