Investigation Into Big Fire Near Escondido at Dead End

A California Department of Forestry investigator said Thursday that it is “pretty remote” that anybody will be arrested for starting the 3,400-acre Mt. Israel Road fire near Escondido in September.

Capt. John Adkins said that, despite earlier hopes for a witness, there’s no description of a suspect, and the investigation “candidly, has been quite shelved.”

If somebody is ever arrested, they face not only a misdemeanor charge, but a civil penalty for the $500,000 cost of extinguishing the fire and $100,000 in property damage to five homes.

Hundreds of residents, many living in expensive homes along steep Mt. Israel Road off Del Dios Highway, were temporarily displaced by flames that took 600 firefighters three days to put out.

Investigators determined that the fire was probably caused by illegal target shooting in a narrow canyon north of the highway off Aliso Road, where they found fresh spent cartridges.

Nothing else appears to have started the fire, and, Adkins said, “The evidence we have is just the shells.” He believes muzzle flash or a projectile hitting a rock could have sparked dry brush.

“There’s no other feasible evidence the fire started any other way,” he said.

Finding a suspect has proved frustrating, and so far “we have a couple of leads on vehicles we need to follow up on, but they’re kind of cold leads,” he said.

It’s unknown whether the vehicles, spotted near where the fire started, belonged to a suspect or a witness.

Without stronger leads and because of other responsibilities, Adkins said, the Mt. Israel Road fire investigation has been shelved, although any new information will be pursued.

“It’s pretty remote at this point (that somebody will be caught) but you try to chase every lead you have,” he said.

If a suspect is arrested and charged, the crime would be a misdemeanor unless there was evidence that the fire was started maliciously, he said. “It’s a misdemeanor crime, but the civil penalties are tremendous,” Adkins said.

A suspect would be liable to pay the $500,000 cost of fighting the fire and the estimated $100,000 damage to five homes. Fire officials are still assessing the damage, Adkins said.