ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. — A 47-year-old Los Angeles woman was arrested in the early morning hours of Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, after deputies determined she had intentionally started a brush fire along Little Tujunga Canyon Road, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported.
Read the LASD release: https://nixle.us/HT3BM
The Call, The Fire, The Detention
Personnel from the U.S. Forest Service Fire Department spotted the woman walking near a small brush fire on Little Tujunga Canyon Road, near mile marker 16, according to the department. The arrest followed a call for service received by the Crescenta Valley Station.
As firefighters worked to put out the fire, deputies from Crescenta Valley Station arrived and detained the woman for further investigation, the department said.
The brush fire was quickly extinguished and burned approximately 0.5 acres, according to the department.
The Charge, The Bail, The Red-Flag Warning
The woman was identified as Sheila Nartatez, a 47-year-old resident of Los Angeles. During their investigation, deputies determined she had intentionally started the brush fire, the department said.
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Nartatez was arrested for violating Penal Code section 452(c), recklessly setting fire to forestry land. She was booked at the Crescenta Valley Station Jail and is being held on $35,000 bail.
Starting a fire recklessly is inherently dangerous, especially during red-flag warnings for high-wind events, the department said. Strong winds can carry burning embers over long distances, igniting multiple fires and turning a small fire into an uncontrollable wildfire.
The Captain's Words, The Investigation, What Comes Next
"In anticipation of red-flag wind events, Crescenta Valley Station deploys additional units to conduct fire watch duties in our area of responsibility," said Captain Ryan A. Vienna. "These units responded, investigated, and arrested a woman early this morning who started this fire. I thank the Fire Department for its quick response, which extinguished a potentially disastrous fire that could have affected all LA County residents. We at Crescenta Valley Station remain committed to increasing our presence through field deployments during these events to save lives and property in the communities we serve."
The investigation is ongoing, and no additional information was available for release at the time of the announcement, the department said.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Sheriff's Arson and Explosives Detail general line at 323-881-7500. Anyone who prefers to provide information anonymously can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (800-222-8477), use the P3 Tips mobile app, or submit a tip at lacrimestoppers.org.
Sources
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, "Crescenta Valley Deputies Arrest Woman for Intentionally Starting a Brush fire In Angeles National Forest," November 7, 2026: https://nixle.us/HT3BM