A 70-year-old Santa Clarita man is accused of starting the 1,000-acre Bouquet Fire by flicking a cigarette from his porch onto fireworks.
Story Highlights
- On Friday, October 9, federal prosecutors charged Rodney Ameile Saba, 70, with arson involving federal property.
- The fire began behind his home on Bouquet Canyon Road on Saturday, October 3, according to the complaint.
- Prosecutors say he warned a neighbor to expect “a loud sound like a shotgun blast” moments before the explosion.
- About 1,048 acres of the Angeles National Forest burned, and evacuation orders went out for nearby homes.
What Prosecutors Say Happened
Prosecutors say Saba told law enforcement he threw a cigarette from his porch onto fireworks, which exploded and set the hillside on fire. Saba is a Santa Clarita resident whose home sits on Bouquet Canyon Road, beside the Angeles National Forest. It is a federal case because the fire burned national forest land, which belongs to the federal government. The charge was filed in a criminal complaint, a formal written accusation that starts a federal case. He is accused, not convicted, and the U.S. Attorney’s office notes that a complaint is only an allegation and that he is presumed innocent.
Local law enforcement arrested Saba on Saturday, October 3, on related state charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office. No statement from Saba or a lawyer for him has been reported.
The Warning, The Blast And The Flames
According to the complaint, the fire started at about 2:13 p.m. behind Saba’s home. Prosecutors say that moments earlier, he warned a neighbor to expect a sound like a shotgun blast. Witnesses then heard a powerful explosion and heard Saba yelling for help as flames raced up the hillside, prosecutors said.
U.S. Forest Service fire investigators ruled out lightning, campfires, debris burning and other causes. They concluded the fire was “probably caused by fireworks.” Investigators also recovered a lighter, cigarettes, shotgun ammunition and an aerial mortar firework from Saba’s cabin. An aerial mortar is a firework shot from a tube that bursts high in the air. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department arson team helped with the investigation.
What Was At Risk
The fire spread quickly up the hillside into the national forest. It forced evacuation orders and warnings and threatened buildings and power lines, according to reports. An evacuation shelter opened at the Castaic Sports Complex while residents waited to go home. Reports have not listed any homes destroyed.
In all, about 1,048 acres of federal land burned. Firefighters had the blaze 40% contained by the next afternoon, Sunday, October 4.
What Comes Next
Saba is expected to make his first appearance in federal court in downtown Los Angeles. No date for that hearing has been announced. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
The case is a hard reminder for anyone living near open brush. Fireworks and dry hillsides are a dangerous mix, and a single spark can put a whole neighborhood under evacuation orders.
Sources:
cbsnews.com, justice.gov, ground.news