Homeless Man Suspected Of Setting Illegal Arroyo Seco Fire

PASADENA, CA — A court appearance is scheduled Monday for a homeless man accused of setting an illegal fire in Pasadena's Arroyo Seco area.

Steven Lee Conant, 27, is scheduled to be in a Pasadena courtroom, according to sheriff's inmate records. He was arrested December 13 by Pasadena police and fire officials, Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.

"Police and Fire worked together to locate a person we believed to be involved in multiple illegal burnings in the Arroyo in a very high fire hazard zone," Pasadena Fire Chief Bertral Washington said. "The hazardous encampment area involved was then cleaned out by our Public Works Department after the arrest."

The city plans to survey encampment areas citywide to identify other potential hazards and clear those that pose a threat to the community especially in light of the state's destructive fires, red flag alerts and severe fire weather conditions, he said.

City News Service; Photo: Shutterstock