Rick Warren asks for prayers as brushfire reaches Saddleback Church property; suspect in custody
Rick Warren has issued a call for prayers Sunday as a brushfire consumed 2 acres of Saddleback Church’s main campus. Authorities have reported that the fire, which ignited near the church’s parking lot, has been contained, and a suspect is now in custody.
Warren, the founder of Saddleback Church who retired from the pulpit in 2022, took to social media to ask the community of believers for support after the brushfire started around 1 p.m. local time on Sunday, near the Portola and Rancho Parkways, and rapidly spreading toward adjacent roads.
“Please pray: 2 acres of Saddleback Church have already been consumed by wildfire as of this moment. It’s our main campus (out of 20) in Lake Forest, a few weeks ago, we had a week of wildfires in our backyard, now this. So far, no buildings have been in danger. The Lake Forest campus is 120 acres — about half are parking lots,” Warren wrote on X.
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The Orange County Fire Authority and deputies from the Sheriff’s Department responded promptly, securing the area and managing to contain the fire within about 45 minutes, reported SoCal PD Media.
“A 2-acre fire near Saddleback Church was quickly contained by the OC Fire Authority on Sunday. The two-acre blaze was reported at 1 p.m. and reported under control by 1:35 p.m.,” the city of Lake Forest wrote on X.
Officials reported no injuries or structural damage.
Investigators noted that the fire began when a teenager riding an e-bike in the area might have unintentionally sparked it. Efforts by the teen to extinguish the fire using a fire extinguisher were noted before the arrival of fire services.
The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, with authorities looking into whether the teenager’s actions directly contributed to the blaze.
Following the rapid containment of the fire, which ultimately affected 2.81 acres, fire crews remained on alert and continued monitoring the area to prevent any rekindling, given the dry weather conditions prevalent at the time.
The OCFA noted the ongoing risk during fire season, urging the public to exercise caution with outdoor activities to avoid similar incidents.
Once officials determined that the fire was set intentionally, the OC Sheriff’s Department acted swiftly to take one person into custody, The Orange County Register reported.
The Register did not disclose the identity and the motives of the individual, pending further investigation.
