A Lakeside man is accused of willfully and maliciously setting fire to forest land for the Sparkletts Fire that sparked Monday.
A fire burned an acre of land west of the Barona Resort and Casino near State Route 67 and San Vicente Avenue around noon.
The Sparkletts Water Distribution Center was evacuated and SR-67 was closed in both directions.
On Thursday, Cal Fire announced Daniel Reyes Ortega, 21, of Lakeside was in custody and accused of one felony count of arson.
Deputies took Ortega, described by Cal Fire as a transient, into custody on Monday.
Ortega pleaded not guilty at an arraignment Wednesday. He was being held on a $75,000 bail. He faces up to 6 years if convicted.
