Search underway for arsonist who set fires in Sacramento park

SACRAMENTO — The search is on for an arsonist accused of setting multiple fires that burned through a Sacramento park Monday afternoon.

At least ten fires were intentionally set inside Del Paso Park.

Cindy Pridmore lives across from the park and said fire crews were battling multiple blazes inside the natural habitat area.

"I saw fire trucks all around the baseball field, the far end down here, over there, at the bridge," she said while showing us the area.

A sheriff's helicopter and police searched the area but investigators say the suspect got away.

"It's going to be worrisome when I go to bed tonight," Pridmore said.

Investigators say the arsonist worked in a clockwise pattern around the 76-acre park, and the series of fires stopped once law enforcement arrived.

Neighbors like Ron Jellison said that they've complained about illegal activity in the park many times. He's frustrated that the city is not taking more action.

"The only time we get a ranger out here now is if we make a huge fuss and that's going clear into the mayor's office," he said.

Jellison said the park also needs more fire protection.

"We've been trying to get fire hydrants in the park," he said. "There are no fire hydrants in this portion of the park."

The City of Sacramento operates Del Paso Park, but it's surrounded on three sides by property in the unincorporated county.

Because it's isolated, many neighbors want Sacramento County to take control of the park. It's something the board of supervisors has offered to do but the proposal has not been approved by Sacramento city leaders.

With the suspect still on the loose, neighbors say they want more patrols in the area.

"This is kind of someone who's not right who's setting fires, so there's a heightened level of concern there," Pridmore said.

Two weeks ago, the city council approved spending more than $3 million to renovate the park's baseball field which is overgrown with weeds and has not been used in years.