A man suspected of starting a wildfire in California that has spread over thousands of acres and prompted widespread evacuations was arrested on Wednesday night, the authorities said. The man, Brandon N. McGlover, was charged with five counts of arson to wildland, according to a news release from Cal Fire, a state agency responsible for fire protection. The Cranston fire, as it is known, has spread rapidly across a mountainous area east of Los Angeles. As of 4 p.m. Thursday, the fire had expanded to cover 7,500 acres with 5 percent of it contained, said Lyn Sieliet, a United States Forest Service spokeswoman. The Cranston fire started at about noon on Wednesday, according to the Forest Service.

Source: New York Times July 27, 2018 01:26 UTC