Possible arson investigation underway

Santa Barbara fire investigators are searching for a possible arsonist after three small brush fires broke out within minutes and a mile of each other. The first started just after 9 Saturday evening near Loma Alta Drive and Coronel Street in Santa Barbara. The second just shortly after, on near the train tracks at Carrillo Street, and the third in a tree on Canon Perdido.

On Loma Alta, fire crews were able to put out the flames quickly. This is the same area fire crews were called to twice just last month.

“We’ve had numerous fires in this area, so we called for an investigator right away,” says Battalion Chief Lee Waldren of Santa Barbara City Fire.

As crews were mopping up, they received a call of a second brush fire between the train tracks and the freeway, near the Carrillo exit. The exit was shut down as fire crews put out the flames.

A third fire broke out just minutes later on Canon Perdido Street.

“It’s certainly suspicious, because we had apparent starts in the last half hour all within a mile at the very most,” says Waldren.

We will continue to monitor this story, and bring you more information as it becomes available.