Two suspects alleged to have set fires in the Sepulveda Basin and the San Fernando Valley have been arrested, Mayor Karen Bass announced Thursday.
Park rangers from the Department of Recreation and Parks made the arrests in coordination with the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Arson Investigation Unit, according to the mayor’s office.
Neither the mayor’s office nor the LAFD immediately responded to a request for comment regarding details of the arrests.
LAPD Media Relations Division Officer Drake Madison directed questions to the Department of Recreation and Parks and Fire Department.
It was unclear if the suspects, whose names were not provided, were still in custody.
“We have been executing a coordinated and comprehensive strategy in partnership with Council member Imelda Padilla in the Sepulveda Basin that is first and foremost about public safety,” Bass said in a statement. “From holding people accountable who commit crimes of arson to outreaching to people experiencing homelessness, we are using every available tool to make the Sepulveda Basin recreation area and surrounding neighborhoods safer and cleaner for all.”
LAFD has reported a significant decrease in the call volume for fires in the Sepulveda Basin since the efforts began, according to Bass’ office.
The basin consists of 2,000 acres of recreation space and 600 acres of wild lands, owned by the federal government and primarily leased by the city. It is often the site of brush fires, frequently originating in various
homeless encampments in the basin.
According to the mayor’s office, the city has engaged in a strategy consisting of homeless outreach and clearing encampments; brush and vegetation clearance; and working with elected officials to secure county, state and federal dollars to enhance the basin.
City officials said vegetation management opens up wooded areas by thinning and removing limbs of trees and removing non-native species to reduce vegetation more likely to spark and spread fire. Managing the brush also makes building encampments in the basin less desirable and the improved visibility within the trees assists with enforcing no-camping laws, according to the city.
The city works with nonprofits such as the LA Conservation Corps and Chrysalis on the clearance efforts. LAFD’s hand crews also manage vegetation and make improvements to help reduce potential safety threats.
Firefighters have removed hundreds of trees and 240 tons of debris near Hjelte Sports Complex. The field along Woodley Avenue and the San Diego (405) Freeway is being cleared by the department’s Heavy Equipment Unit to further reduce safety threats.
Based on past community requests, the Bureau of Street Services, in conjunction with the LA Department of Transportation and LAFD, conducted brush clearing along a stretch of Burbank Boulevard.
“I am proud to be working hand-in-hand with the Mayor’s Office to marshal resources across critical departments like LAFD and Public Works, turning strategic plans into tangible results on the ground. This unprecedented intergovernmental effort is setting the foundation to restore the Basin’s safety, environmental health, and accessibility for all our residents,” Padilla said in a statement. Her district includes the Sepulevda Basin.
City officials are taking steps to enhance the basin for residents and visitors, in particular as the Los Angeles region prepares to host international events such as the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games.
In an Olympic first for the San Fernando Valley, LA28 added 3×3 basketball and modern pentathlon to competitions slated for the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area alongside BMX and skateboarding.
The basin has been a hot spot for fires. Recently, the Los Angeles Board of Fire Commissioners submitted a preliminary budget request of $200 million to the Mayor’s Office. Part of that funding would support a second wildland paid hand crew, brush clearance inspections and brush and mitigation work in the basin, among other things.