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A cigarette-smoking poker dealer has been unmasked as the alleged firebug behind a 131-acre blaze that threatened homes and forced evacuations in San Diego.
Brandon Glasgo, 30, was arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the Sorrento Fire — which erupted Sunday afternoon and quickly tore through the Peñasquitos Creek area, according to San Diego police.
Glasgo, who worked as a poker dealer at Jamul Casino Resort, was taken into custody Monday morning.
Police have not revealed what allegedly sparked the blaze or disclosed further details about the accusations against Glasgo, who is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.
The fire was first reported around 1:30 p.m. between Sorrento Valley Boulevard and Carmel Mountain Road.
It rapidly spread to 131 acres, threatening nearby structures and triggering evacuation orders and warnings.
San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Deputy Chief Dan Eddy said firefighters initially struggled to reach the flames because the fire burned along a hiking trail.
“It’s not somewhere you can ride your car into,” Eddy told ABC10. “Remember, this is a hiking trail, so we had hard access getting our ground units in there. The aircraft were huge for us today in stopping the forward rate of spread.”
Washouts from a previous fire created further problems for crews trying to reach the area, making the aerial response critical.
Five fixed-wing aircraft worked the blaze while helicopters operated out of Hemet and Ramona. Crews managed to halt the fire’s forward spread within about an hour, Eddy added.
Most evacuation warnings were lifted by Sunday evening. By Monday morning, the Sorrento Fire remained at 131 acres and was 25% contained, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue.
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