In the midst of the ongoing and devastating Los Angeles wildfires, a 60-year-old woman, Gloria Lynn Mandich, has been arrested on suspicion of arson. However, authorities have determined that the incident she is accused of is not related to the major and highly destructive blazes that have been ravaging the region.
On Friday, Jan. 10, California State Parks announced in a press release that Mandich had been taken into custody and charged with felony arson in connection with a brush fire that occurred on Jan. 8 in Los Angeles County. The fire in question was situated near Leo Carrillo State Park, an area that has been under a red flag warning due to the combination of severe winds and dry vegetation, which has provided the perfect fuel for the multiple wildfires currently raging in the area.
Despite the fact that the larger fires remain only partially contained, the fire allegedly started by Mandich was “promptly extinguished” by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, as stated by California State Parks. Court records viewed by PEOPLE indicate that Mandich was booked into Ventura County Jail, with her bail set at $20,000. The Kentucky native is now facing a felony charge for purportedly causing a fire on a structure or forest land, along with an additional arson charge specific to fires initiated during an emergency. She has entered a plea of not guilty. Mandich made her initial court appearance on Jan. 10, and has further court dates scheduled for Jan. 22 and Jan. 24, with the latter being a preliminary examination. The prosecutor in the arson case and Mandich’s attorney did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
On the same day, Jan. 10, authorities were called to Pioneer Park in response to a reported brush fire. Upon arrival, a bystander informed them that an individual was responsible for the fire and was still present at the scene. The Azusa Police Department identified the suspect as Jose Carranza-Escobar, who was detained and confessed to starting the fire. He was arrested for arson and subsequently booked, and is currently being held in custody. The City of Azusa Public Works, in collaboration with Azusa Light and Water, is now evaluating the damage caused by the fire, and the investigation is still underway.
Since the wildfires began in Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, more than 80,000 people have been displaced. The Eaton Fire erupted shortly after, at around 6:30 p.m. on the same day. By the morning of Wednesday, Jan. 8, the fires had spread across 10,000 acres in Pasadena and Altadena. Thousands of structures, including commercial establishments and residential homes, have been impacted by these massive and rapidly expanding blazes, which, still not fully contained, have already emerged as the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles. As of Jan. 10, county officials report that at least 11 people have lost their lives as a result of the fires.