San Benito investigators looking into “suspicious fires

San Benito County Sheriff detective Jason Leist said he has a person of interest regarding suspicious fires which have sparked in and around Hollister.

The latest fire Thursday “significantly threatened” homes on Klamath Way south of Hollister

COUNTY ...WHERE FIRE FIGHTERSTODAY PUT OUT A SIXACRE FIRE..THAT CAMEDANGEROUSLY CLOSE TOSEVERAL HOMES ..THIS IS ON SACRAMENTOWAY AND KLAMMATHWAY -- JUST SOUTH OFHOLLISTER..WHILE THE THREAT FROMTHIS FIRE IS GONE..ACTION NEWS 8REPORTER CHRISTOPHERSALAS SHOWS US..WHY SAN BENITOCOUNTY FIREINVESTIGATORS FEARTHEY MAY HAVE ANARSONIST ON THEIRHANDS.ERIN..I SPOKE WITH ADETECTIVE WITH THESAN BENITO COUNTYSHERIFF'S OFFICE WHOTELLS ME THEY DO HAVEA PERSON OF INTERESTTHEY PLAN ONINTERVIEWINGTOMMORW..AND THE REASON WHY ISBECAUSE THEY'VE HADMULTIPLE SUSPICIOUSFIRES IN AND AROUDNHOLLISTER..INCLUDING MULTIPLE INTHIS NEIGHBORHOOD..THURSDAY AFTERNOON..FIRE CREWS DOSED THEREMAINING FLAMES...AND FEARS OF THOSE INTHIS SAN BENITOCOUNTYNEIGHBORHOOD..19:22 "IT MAKES ME FEELBETTER KNOWING THERESPONSE IS THAT GOOD.THEY'RE WERE RIGHT ON TOPOF IT." MATT AND LAURENSAY THEY HAVE A LARGEHOMELESS POPULATIONIN THE OPEN SPACEWHERE THURSDAY'S FIRESPARKED..3239 18:40 "ALMOST DAILYWE SEE SMOKE IN THATSAME SPOT OUT IN THEBRUSH." BUT THIS TIME...THAT SMOKE WASACCOMPANIED WITH THESIGHT OF FLAMESSHOOTING OVER THEIRFENCE..PROMPTING MATT TOGRAB HIS GARDEN HOSETO TRY AND DEFEND HISHOME..19:10 "IT JUST MAKES MEFEEL BETTER ABOUT IT.

I'MNOT SURE WHAT IT ACTUALLYDOES TO MAKE ADIFFERENCE."THE DIFFERENCE CAMEWHEN FIREFIGHTERARRIVED JUST MINUTESAFTER MATT AND LAURENCALLED 9-1-1..STAND UP20:52 "IF WE DIDN'T CALLWHEN WE DID, HOW MUCHTIME WOULD WE HAVE TOSPARE?" 27:54 "HAD WEBEEN HERE MAYBE TEN OR15 MINUTES LATER IT WOULDMAYBE GOTTEN INTO THEFENCE LINE." 25:18"ABSOLUTELY I THINK IT'SSUSPICIOUS." HOLLISTERFIRE CHIEF BOB MARTINDEL CAMPO SAYS ONAVERAGE THEY SEE 110FIRES A YEAR..ALREADY THEY'VE SEEN92..WITH 8 OF THEMALREADY HAVE BEENDEEMED TO BEINTENTIONAL..24:24 "SOMETIMES THEYHAPPEN AT THE SAME TIMEIN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THETOWN SO I'M THINKINGWE'VE GOT FIRE SETTERS ANDI CAN'T SAY IT'S BEEN ONEPERSON BUT IT'S BEENCONSITENT." 30:04 "I DON'TKNOW IF IT'S SERIEL FIRESETTERS OR IT'S JUSTUNFORTUNATE INCIDENTS BYTHE HOMELESS ORWHOEVER'S OUT THERELIGHTING FIRES." MANYOTHER THE FIRES ARESTILL UNDERINVESTIGATION...INCLUDING THE LATESTBEHIND MATT ANDLAUREN'S HOME..20:39 "SOMETHING'S GOT TOHAPPEN.

I'M NOT SUREWHAT THE ANSWER WOULDBE, BUT SOMEONE ELSE'SGOTTA FIND A SOLUTION FORIT." TAKE CHRISTOPHERTHE OTHER AREA OFSUSPICIOUS FIRES IS PARKHILL..IF YOU HAVE INFO..CALL SAN BENITOCOUNTY SHERIFF..IN SB..

I'M CS..

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