2 Young Men Arrested For Setting Latrobe Fire Near Rancho Murieta

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Two young men were arrested in for starting the Latrobe Fire near Rancho Murieta.

Jacob Place and Maxwell Goldsworthy, both 18, were booked on Thursday.

The Latrobe Fire started on July 26 near Rancho Murieta and burned nearly 1,300 acres.

Cal Fire says conditions are ripe for large wildland fires in this area of eastern Sacramento County, and that's why they're so concerned about teens gathering in the area.

"Recently we've received numerous complaints from landowners in this area, so Cal Fire law enforcement officers began a regular patrol of these rural road systems looking for suspicious activity. Since then, numerous citations have been issued to individuals engaged in illegal activities," said Brice Bennett with Cal Fire.

These teens face felony arson charges, accused of recklessly causing a fire on forest land.

"It threatened the entire community of Rancho Murieta and its water supply. Fortunately, no homes were damaged," he said.

Lynette Flores has caught teens trespassing on her five-acre ranch.

"I know kids are going to be kids, but they need to understand what the ramifications are of their actions," she said.

Both have been released after posting $25,000 bail and face fines and up to three years in prison.