SIMI VALLEY : Boy, 10, Admits Starting Brush Fire

A 10-year-old boy, feeling guilty about what he had done, turned himself in to Ventura County arson investigators hours after he started a fire that blackened more than 80 acres of brush in Simi Valley, authorities said Wednesday.

The boy, who was arrested on suspicion of arson and released to the custody of his parents Tuesday night, was playing with matches in the hills near Sycamore Drive and Alamo Street, authorities said.

“He lives right there in the neighborhood,” said Peter Cronk, an arson investigator. “There were other boys with him, but he’s the one that did it.

“They were up there just playing with matches, lighting fires in the grass,” Cronk said. “I think he got to feeling guilty about what he did and went on and told his parents.”

The blaze, which broke out about 1 p.m. Tuesday near Simi Valley Hospital, took a force of about 100 firefighters more than two hours to contain.

The family may be liable for the firefighting costs, Cronk said, adding, “he’ll get a bill for $10,000 or so. I’m sure he’ll be paying for this for a long time.”