Captain Dion Bentley said the culprit is a male and beginning at 9 a.m. Friday. He started setting vegetation fires in the Glenwood/Columbia areas. "He may think it is a game," said the captain, "but it is dangerous because of the dry conditions right now."
Firefighters are already dealing with accidental fires. They believe at least one dozen are arson and started by the same man.
Bentley said citizens have helped out by quickly calling in the incidents. If not for that, he fears, the first responders would have had a more difficult time. Some of the grassy blazes are close to structures. Bentley added the incidents are taxing the men and women in the department.
The captain the firefighters need to be as fresh as possible to handle real emergencies.