LOS ANGELES, CA – A 45-year-old man was arrested Friday on suspicion of setting four separate fires at Galster Wilderness Park in West Covina between May and August, according to the West Covina Police Department.
Police identified him as Christopher Joseph Ramirez. He was arrested Oct. 9 and booked on four felony counts of arson of property and forest land, police said. The department gave the park’s address as 1620 East Aroma Drive.
Police said each fire consumed several acres and posed a significant threat to nearby residential areas. An arrest is not a conviction, and the allegations remain subject to the criminal court process.
Arrest made without incident
The West Covina Police Department announced the arrest in a press release issued Oct. 9 and 10. Police said Ramirez was taken into custody without incident.
The department did not say where he was arrested or what led investigators to him. Police also did not say what, if anything, he is alleged to have used to start the fires.
Four fires over four months
According to the department, the fires were set at the same park over a period from May to August 2026. Each one was a separate blaze, and each is the basis for one of the four counts on which Ramirez was booked.
The charges cover both property and forest land. Police did not detail the dates of three of the four fires in the information they released.
Fires contained before reaching homes
Police said the West Covina Fire Department quickly contained and extinguished each fire. As a result, none of the fires spread to nearby homes or damaged them.
The department described the blazes as a significant threat to the residential neighborhoods that border the park. It did not report any injuries in its announcement.
June 13 fire led to evacuation requests
One of the fires burned June 13 east of the park on East Aroma Drive. The Los Angeles County Fire Department said the fire was reported about 5:30 p.m. and grew to about 15 acres, and that it sent 83 people and one helicopter.
Evacuation requests were issued that evening for residents of Castle Rock Court and Westridge Road. West Covina fire crews and police also responded to the scene.
Multiple agencies investigated
The West Covina Fire Department Arson Unit investigated the fires together with West Covina police detectives. Police said the Verdugo Fire Investigators Task Force, the Area E Regional Arson and Explosives Task Force, the South Bay Arson Task Force and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also took part.
The department did not describe what each agency contributed to the case.
Fire department asks residents to report smoke
The West Covina Fire Department has posted a community notice about the recent series of fires in and around the Galster Park area. The notice says the fires remain under investigation and asks residents to report suspicious activity, smoke or signs of fire by calling 9-1-1.
The notice says, “Early reporting is critical and allows emergency personnel to respond as quickly as possible.” The page also links to wildfire preparedness resources, including CAL FIRE’s Get Ready to Go guide and ReadyForWildfire.org.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the West Covina Police Department.
$1 million bail and court date set for Oct. 13
Ramirez was being held on $1 million bail pending further legal proceedings as of Saturday, police said. He is scheduled to appear in West Covina Superior Court on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
A District Attorney charging announcement had not been located as of Saturday. The investigation remains active, and the felony counts will proceed through the court process.
