Arson Blamed for 5-Acre Brush Fire Near I-8

Fire investigators said a 5-acre brush fire near the on-ramp of Interstate 8 near Mission Gorge Road Tuesday was arson and started by a incendiary device found at the scene.

Investigators would not release any details about what kind of fire-setting device was used.

“If I tell you, then everybody will dream up the same device,” said Detective John Buono, a fire investigator with the Metro Arson Strike Team.

No homes were damaged in the fire, which firefighters contained in about 90 minutes. Investigators believe the blaze may be related to a slew of other brush fires that have been set around the city and the county over the past few years.

“We’ve had a lot of other fires in the past five or six years adjacent to freeways,” Buono said.

Buono did not have figures on exactly how many fires have been set, referring to the incidents as the roadside series.

“We feel that they are related to the same person, but it’s hard to determine that,” Buono said. No arrests have been made.

The fires are similar in that an incendiary device is usually used, they are usually set near a freeway and usually in an area where there are homes that might be threatened, Buono said.

About four years ago, Buono said, there was a fire near I-8 about a block from where Tuesday’s fire was set.

No incendiary device was found at the time, but Buono said that is not uncommon for arson-set brush fires.

“There could be devices, (we) just couldn’t find them,” Buono said.