A 70-year-old California man faces up to 20 years in federal prison after prosecutors charged him with arson in connection with the Bouquet Fire, which burned more than 1,000 acres of federal land.
Rodney Ameile Saba of Santa Clarita allegedly started the Oct. 3 wildfire behind his home on Bouquet Canyon Road, according to a federal criminal complaint. The blaze began with an explosion before flames surged up a hillside in the Angeles National Forest.
Investigators say Saba appeared to foreshadow the blast by warning a neighbor to expect a loud bang similar to a shotgun report. Moments later, witnesses heard a powerful explosion and saw Saba shouting for help.
The complaint alleges that Saba later told law enforcement he had thrown a cigarette from his porch onto fireworks, causing them to detonate and ignite the wildfire.
The Bouquet Fire ultimately scorched about 1,048 acres of federally owned land, consuming a broad expanse of public property as investigators worked to determine how the blaze began.
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US Forest Service fire investigators concluded the fire was “probably caused by fireworks” after ruling out lightning, campfires, debris burning and other possible sources, the complaint states.
Investigators also reported finding a lighter, cigarettes, shotgun ammunition and an aerial mortar firework inside Saba’s cabin.
The federal arson case follows Saba’s arrest by local authorities on related state charges the day the fire erupted. He is expected to appear in US District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Court documents also cite Saba’s extensive criminal record, listing prior felony convictions for mayhem, vandalism, possession of a controlled substance, criminal threats, manufacturing or possessing a dangerous weapon, and possessing a stolen vehicle.
