LOS ANGELES - Even as crews battled Southern California's ferocious and fatal wildfires, investigators were trying to determine who set them.
"Over half of the fires in Southern California are of suspicious origin or definitely arson," said James Wright, chief of fire protection for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
More than 13 fires have started since last week, with eight continuing to burn Wednesday.
No arrests had been made, but federal, state and local investigators said they were making progress. Several people have been detained in connection with the 28,000-acre Old Fire in San Bernardino County that has killed four elderly people who had heart attacks.
Several were released after questioning. On Wednesday, U.S. Forest Service employees on patrol detained a man they believed matched the description on a wanted poster issued by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, said Jerry Moore, a Forest Service special agent.
However, the man was released after being questioned by authorities, said Robin Haynal, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Investigators had not determined whether there was any link between the Old Fire and the Grand Prix Fire, which started near Fontana and had torched 50 homes and 68,000 acres.
Moore also said a man had confessed to starting the Piru fire that burned three homes and nearly 56,000 acres in Ventura County, but the case remain under investigation.
"Anybody can come in and say 'I did it,'" Moore said.
San Diego County authorities, meanwhile, said they are positive a wildfire that has so far killed 12 people and burned more than 1,000 homes was sparked by a lost deer hunter who set a signal blaze.
Sergio Martinez, 33, of West Covina was rescued by a San Diego County sheriff's helicopter on Saturday in the Cleveland National Forest. He was given a misdemeanor citation for setting an unauthorized fire.
The fire was only 50 square yards when he was rescued. The pilot who rescued him, Deputy Dave Weldon, said Martinez initially denied setting the fire but then said, "I'm sorry about all this" and apologized repeatedly.
Arsonists could face federal or state charges, including aggravated arson, which in California carries a 10-years-to-life sentence.
