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Five Antioch Grass Fires Considered Suspicious

ANTIOCH (CBS SF) - Fire investigators believe whoever set a suspicious grass fire in Antioch Thursday night may also be responsible for a series of grass fires set in the same open space of the city.

The fires all burned in an area surrounded by homes in the 2600 block of Yorkshire Drive, said Vic Massenkoff, an investigator with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.

"These fires could have caused much more damage. Some of the fires did burn right up into the backyards and burn some of the property of the homes up on the hill above where these fires occurred," Massenkoff said.

Fortunately the city had recently mowed the dry grass in the area and wind conditions have been relatively calm, though fire officials cautioned that there is more than enough dry brush for a dangerous, rapid burn.

Massenkoff said the first fire on June 7 and subsequent arson fires on June 9, 10, 11 and 16 all appear to have been set by juveniles.

Anyone with information about the fire should contact Contra Costa County's anonymous arson tip line at 866-50-ARSON.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services may have contributed to this report.)

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