Los Lunas man arrested, charged with arson in connection to weekend fires

A Los Lunas man has been arrested today and charged in connection with two devastating fires that swept through the bosque and into a neighborhood this weekend, destroying 11 homes and injuring 13 firefighters.

Jacob LaHair, 31, of Los Lunas, has been charged with arson and criminal damage to property.

He was booked into the Valencia County Detention Center after a $50,000 cash-only arrest warrant was issued for him today, Wednesday, June 25, by 13th Judicial District Court Judge James Lawrence Sanchez.

According to online court records, the address listed for LaHair is in Carson Park, where the 11 homes burned.

Valencia County Fire Chief Matt Propp said the arrest is a huge relief, not only to the numerous fire departments who sent personnel to the scene but to the community as well.

“This has been stressful for everybody. There’s the added stress when you’re not actually sure you’re out of the woods yet. Is there something else coming? Is there another fire coming?,” Propp said Wednesday evening. “Having made an arrest makes me breathe a huge sigh of relief. We can let our guard down a little big and take a breath. I’ll sleep a little easier tonight.”

According to a press release put out by Valencia County Sheriff’s Office public information officer Lt. Joseph Rowland, LaHair turned himself in at the Los Lunas Police Department today after the arrest warrant was issued and law enforcement agencies had begun looking for him.

The Cotton 1 fire ignited on Saturday, June 21, southwest of the Los Lunas river bridge and quickly outpaced initial containment efforts, despite a prompt and coordinated response from both ground and aerial firefighting units, the press release said. After breaching a key firebreak along the ditch bank, the fire advanced into the Carson Park neighborhood.

On Sunday, June 22, a second fire — Cotton 2 — began in the same bosque area to the northeast of the bridge. This second incident prompted further concern and initiated a separate but parallel investigation.

A unified investigative effort was launched immediately, led by the New Mexico State Fire Marshal’s Office,

with support from the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office, Los Lunas Police Department, New Mexico State

Forestry Division, New Mexico State Parks, New Mexico State Police, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and certified fire investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Investigators conducted interviews, analyzed surveillance footage, and completed on-site field evaluations to determine the origin and cause of both fires.

On Tuesday, June 24, the Cotton 1 fire was officially classified as incendiary.

“We would like to thank the many agencies whose collaborative efforts were vital in this investigation and in protecting our community,” Rowland wrote in the press release. “Their professionalism, coordination and commitment were essential in identifying the cause of these fires and helping ensure the safety of Valencia County residents.”

Those agencies are:

New Mexico State Fire Marshal’s Office

Valencia County Sheriff’s Office

Los Lunas Police Department

Belen Police Department

Isleta Police Department

Bosque Farms Police Department

Valencia County Fire Department

New Mexico State Forestry / State Parks

New Mexico State Police

Bureau of Land Management

U.S. Forest Service

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives