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A 41-year-old California man allegedly caught red-handed by good Samaritans igniting a brushfire in Los Angeles has been hit with felony arson charges — the 27th bust tied to the blazes that have ravaged the area.
Alejandro Martinez allegedly set a fire near Chatsworth Reservoir on Monday and was held by an angry mob until authorities showed up to slap on the cuffs, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a press release Thursday.
“As we continue to recover from the devastation of recent wildfires, this case is a stark reminder of the grave threat alleged arsonists pose to our communities,” Hochman said in a statement.
“We have seen firsthand the destruction, displacement, and loss of life caused by these senseless acts,” he said. “Let me be clear — if you intentionally set fire to our land, endanger our residents, and threaten our first responders, we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
The Golden State is still recovering from the rash of massive wildfires that erupted in early January and laid waste to large swaths of LA and surrounding communities, killing at least 29 people.
The flames consumed as many as 17,000 structures and forced tens of thousands from their homes.
Earlier this week, officials said it could take as long as 18 months just for the ash and debris to be cleared.
LA prosecutors have so far charged 27 people with criminal offenses tied to the fires, most of them hit with arson-related raps while others were nabbed for looting, burglary and theft.
Nine suspects were charged with first-degree residential burglary, while others face looting, trespassing and illegal possession of a gun or ammunition, authorities said.
Three of the suspects were charged with impersonating a firefighter, the LA DA said.
Martinez, the latest to be locked up, was charged with one count of felony arson of a structure or forest and one count of felony attempt to burn and faces up to six years and eight months in prison if he is convicted of both charges, according to prosecutors.
He was arraigned Wednesday and ordered held on $175,000 bail.
