Arrest in fire that devastated Northern California town: report

(Reuters) - Authorities on Saturday arrested a man for suspected arson in connection with a fire that destroyed much of a small California city in September, local media reported. Police in Weed, a town in Northern California with a population of about 3,000, arrested a 24-year-old on suspicion of felony arson, the Redding Record Searchlight newspaper reported, citing Police Sgt. Justin Mayberry. The paper quoted Mayberry as saying the suspect "was a person of interest from the first night". The suspect was in jail in lieu of $250,000 bail, it said. A fast-moving fire devastated Weed, burning some 150 homes and prompting evacuations. California's fire season runs from May to October. This year's season has ranked among the most destructive on record. (Reporting by Chris Michaud; Editing by Richard Borsuk)