A poker dealer has been arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with a wildfire that scorched 131 acres and prompted evacuations in San Diego, authorities reported Monday.
Brandon Glasgo, 30, was taken into custody by San Diego police on suspicion of starting the Sorrento Fire, which ignited Sunday afternoon in the Peñasquitos Creek area. Glasgo, who works as a poker dealer at Jamul Casino Resort, is scheduled for arraignment on Wednesday. Police have not yet disclosed the specific details of the allegations against him.
The fire was first reported around 1:30 p.m. between Sorrento Valley Boulevard and Carmel Mountain Road. It rapidly spread, threatening nearby structures and leading to evacuation orders and warnings for residents in the vicinity.
San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Deputy Chief Dan Eddy stated that crews faced challenges reaching the flames due to the fire's location along a hiking trail. "It's not somewhere you can ride your car into," Eddy said. "Remember, this is a hiking trail, so we had hard access getting our ground units in there. The aircraft were huge for us today in stopping the forward rate of spread."
Aerial resources, including five fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, were crucial in containing the fire's advance. Washouts from a previous fire complicated access for ground crews, making the aerial response critical. The forward spread of the fire was halted within approximately an hour, according to Eddy.
Most evacuation warnings were lifted by Sunday evening. By Monday morning, the Sorrento Fire was 25% contained, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue. The blaze burned through 131 acres of land.