State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant said investigators “have been able to confidently determine” that the blaze was caused by arson, though the person or persons involved have not been identified.

The investigation is ongoing into “what we believe to be malicious and willful intent of starting a fire,” Berlant said.

But how did those flammable materials end up under the freeway? It’s part of a government program that leases that space to private citizens and companies.

Caltrans’ Airspace and Telecommunications Licensing Program — often called simply Airspace — “is responsible for leasing and managing those properties or sites held for a transportation purpose that can safely accommodate a secondary use,” the agency said on its website.

[DS–I am waiting for news to break that California also paid for the hand sanitizer in the first place through COVID funds. What do you want to bet it was?]