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San Marcos fire was intentionally set by a juvenile, sheriff says

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A juvenile has been identified as the person responsible for intentionally setting the Cocos fire that burned nearly 2,000 acres and destroyed or damaged 40 structures in the San Marcos area in May, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said Wednesday.

The person, whose name and age were not revealed, is not linked to any of the other fires that raged throughout the northern area of the county, the Sheriff’s Department said.

A hearing has been set for July 30 in San Diego juvenile court, but it was not clear whether the juvenile or anyone else had been arrested.

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The announcement marks the first indication that any of the mid-May fires may have been intentionally set. The first of the fires, which struck in the Rancho Bernardo area of San Diego, was caused by a construction incident, fire investigators have said.

The Cocos fire was investigated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the San Marcos Fire Department, the Sheriff’s Department and the federal Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The investigation results have been turned over to the district attorney’s office for possible charges.

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The fire raged from May 14 to May 22 and, at its height, was battled by more than 500 firefighters. It destroyed structures in San Marcos, Escondido and at a religious retreat.

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