button in SafariPoker Dealer Accused of Sparking Wildfire in California
A cigarette-smoking poker dealer has been arrested on suspicion of starting a 131-acre wildfire that threatened homes and led to evacuations in San Diego, California.
Brandon Glasgo, 30, was taken into custody on Monday morning in connection with the Sorrento fire, which ignited Sunday afternoon and rapidly spread through the Peñasquitos Creek area, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Glasgo, who worked as a poker dealer at Jamul Casino Resort, a popular tribal casino in Southern California, is accused of arson. Police have not disclosed what they believe sparked the blaze and have declined to comment further at this time. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday.
The blaze was first reported around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 16, somewhere between Sorrento Valley Boulevard and Carmel Mountain Road.
A Very Different Kind of High-Stakes Situation
The inferno quickly tore through 131 acres of land, roughly equivalent to the size of 100 football fields, threatening nearby housing and prompting emergency alerts and evacuation orders as firefighters battled to control the blaze.
As reported by the New York Post, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Deputy Chief said crews initially struggled to reach the scene because it was burning along a dedicated hiking trail.
Eddy told news network ABC10, "Remember, this is a hiking trail, so we had hard access getting our ground units in there. The aircraft were a huge help for us today in stopping the forward rate of spread."
Five fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters were deployed to douse the flames, with the emergency services bringing the situation under control in around an hour, Eddy added.
Nevertheless, while most evacuation warnings were lifted by Sunday evening, the fire continued long into the night and by Monday morning was still burning, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue.
If convicted of arson, Glasgo could face years behind bars, with California law stating arson of forestland or a structure can carry a maximum sentence of six years, with additional penalties possible in certain circumstances.
Poker Community Knows the Threat of SoCal Fires
Many prominent members of the poker community know the dangers posed by wildfires all too well, as the devastating fires that swept through the region in January 2025 had a direct impact on several familiar faces from the poker world.
Poker player and actor James Woods lost his Pacific Palisades home in the blaze, while Jennifer Tilly revealed at the time that she and her partner, Phil Laak, had been forced to evacuate the Commerce Casino, where they were staying.
Fortunately, the Sorrento fire was only a fraction of the size of the Palisades fires that scorched large parts of California. The rapid response from local police and fire services helped prevent the situation from escalating further, bringing the blaze under control before it could cause the kind of widespread destruction seen in January 2025.
Lead image courtesy of Brandon Glasgo on Facebook.
