UPDATE: Police release man after talking to him about Zintel Canyon fires

Police released a man after they questioned him in connection to a series of fires in Kennewick’s Zintel Canyon.

Firefighters and police officers scoured the canyon between 15th and 24th avenues Friday morning after a report of another fire in the area.

They didn’t find any fire, but they did talk to a man sitting on a bench along the Spirit of America Trail, investigators told the Herald.

After chatting with the man, investigators took him to the station to talk more about the fires.

Kennewick Police Sgt. Jason Kiel said the man was not arrested and no charges were filed.

A detective told the Herald that the man was trespassed from the canyon Thursday night. Officers had found a lighter on him then, but it isn’t clear if they took it from him.

The 63-acre, city-owned recreation area has burned several times this past summer, scorching more than 10 acres of land and threatening homes on the edge of the canyon.

Police have stepped up patrols following an increase in reports of fires.

There’s also been some community effort to try and clean up the trail.

This story was originally published September 21, 2018 at 11:53 AM.