Fires set along Interstate Highway 880 in Oakland allegedly by person with blowtorch

Police detained a person allegedly seen using a blowtorch Monday to set multiple vegetation fires along the Interstate Highway 880 corridor in Oakland, authorities said.

The Oakland Fire Department said crews responded to a series of fires between Fruitvale Avenue and High Street/Oakport Street at around 12:30 p.m. Monday.

The fires emitted smoke that wafted across traffic lanes on Highway 880 and created backups in both directions, KCBS Radio reported.

The Fire Department said crews were able to extinguish all the fires and units were released from the scenes as of 1:10 p.m. and that police had detained a person observed setting the fires with a blowtorch.

Oakland police had not yet issued a public statement on the fires or the individual detained. The fire department had no immediate word on the extent of the area burned.