Local News in Brief : El Toro : 3 Youths Playing With Rocket Blamed in Fire

Three teen-age boys have been taken into custody for questioning in connection with a 170-acre brush fire that was sparked by the launching of a model rocket east of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, officials said Monday.

The fire was reported at about 2:15 p.m. Sunday in an undeveloped area north of the 25000 block of Paseo Abeto, county Fire Department spokeswoman Kathleen Cha said. The fire was contained about 5:30 p.m. and brought under control four hours later.

There were no injuries or structural damage, officials said. The fire did not reach the Marine base.

The boys, ages 15, 16 and 17, had been seen playing with a model rocket in the area before the fire, Cha said. The youths, whose names were withheld because of their age, were taken into custody Sunday afternoon and later released to their parents. The case was turned over to county juvenile authorities.

The boys, who live in the area, face a misdemeanor charge of unlawful causing of a fire and could be held responsible for the cost of battling the blaze, Cha said.

The model rocket, which was propelled by a single fuel cell, apparently released a spark that ignited the brush fire, Cha said. Though use of model rockets is not illegal, they can be set off only in designated areas, she added.

“The problem was that this was a very dry-vegetation area and there were very gusty winds,” Cha said.