David Spade is determined to catch arsonists in Los Angeles as the deadly blazes continue.
The “Saturday Night Live” alum, 60, made a video on his Instagram Stories over the weekend where he promised a financial reward to whoever can catch any arsonists in the area.
“I’m out in California and people are saying guys are lighting fires out there. Make this sh-t worse,” Spade said while sitting in his car.
“They just caught somebody we’re pretty sure was lighting fires walking along with the blowtorch. They let him go,” he continued.
Spade then told his followers, “So if you can find somebody lighting a fire and you catch somebody, and you get the cops to bust them and throw them in jail, I’ll give you 5,000 bucks. So keep your eyes peeled. Do what you can out there.”
“Don’t fake it though,” he warned. “No staging. Let me know.”
There have been several cases of arson in LA as the county continues to be destroyed by multiple wildfires.
On Friday night, a homeless man was tackled and zip-tied by onlookers who was suspected of trying to start fires with a blowtorch in Woodland Hills near the Kenneth Fire.
The suspect, who has been identified as illegal immigrant Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva from Mexico, was arrested and is being held on a felony probation violation by the LAPD. Detectives are still investigating it as possible arson, but LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said Friday that there was not immediately enough evidence for that charge.
The Kenneth Fire has since been fully contained after burning more than 1,000 acres, fire officials confirmed on Sunday.
The causes of all the fires are under investigation. According to the Washington Post, the Palisades Fire — which has killed at least eight people and spread to over 23,000 acres — may have started from scorch marks left by an earlier inferno that is believed to have been caused by fireworks set off on New Year’s Eve.
But some celebrities have speculated that arsonists are at fault for the devastating crisis in Southern California.
“THERE IS an ARSONIST here in LA,” actor Henry Winkler wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Jan. 8, the day after the Palisades Fire started.
Winkler added, “May you be beaten you unrecognizable !!! The pain you have caused !!!”
Actress Alison Sweeney, singer Chris Brown, “Dancing with the Stars” pro Peta Murgatroyd and TV personality Elizabeth Chambers similarly threw out claims that the fires started from arson.
As of Monday morning, the wildfires have killed at least 24 people, while nearly 180,000 residents have been forced to evacuate their homes.
The Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, the two biggest blazes by far, are currently 14% and 27% contained, respectively.
