Santa Barbara police arrested a man Saturday on two counts of arson and two counts of attempted arson.
Officials responded to a call from a witness around 12:08 p.m. who observed 22-year-old Miguel Plascencia, a Santa Barbara resident, starting a trash can fire near the intersection of North Milpas Street and Mason Street.
Shortly after, a second fire was reported nearby in a trash can at Milpas Street and Montecito Street. The same witness who reported the second fire also observed Plascencia attempt to light a palm tree on fire.
Santa Barbara police say the man fled the area before officers arrived, but was eventually arrested and taken into custody.
Plascencia is booked at Santa Barbara County Jail. His bail is set at $1 million.
