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12-Year-Old Arrested For Setting Fires In Tinder-Dry Berkeley Hills

BERKELEY (CBS SF) -- A 12-year-old girl has been arrested after four separate fires were intentionally set Friday in a heavily wooded area near the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, authorities said.

Berkeley police said the young girl was arrested after emergency personnel were able to identify her as a suspect. Her name was not released because she is a juvenile.

According to police, she has been tied to four separate fires in the area of Cedar Street and La Vereda Road that were intentional started between 10:22 a.m. until 7:28 p.m.

It began with a small grass fire on the 1600 block of La Vereda Road, which neighbors were able to extinguish. At 2 p.m., another fire was reported in the grassy area along Cedar Path -- pathway between La Loma Avenue and La Vereda Road.

While handling the Cedar Path fire, emergency personnel learned of a second fire of dried leaves on the 1600 block of La Vereda Road. At 7:28 pm, emergency personnel responded to a structure fire on the 2700 block of Cedar Street.

"We are thankful that no was seriously injured by the fires," police said in a news release.

Fire danger is extremely high in the Berkeley Hills after months of drought conditions

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