A 14-year-old boy was arrested yesterday on suspicion of starting a brushfire in Nanakuli this month.

The boy turned himself in at the Kapolei police station at 12:15 p.m. yesterday and was booked on one count of second-degree criminal property damage. He was released a short while later without being charged, pending further investigation, police said.

The Nanakuli youth is accused of starting a fire July 1 at Farrington Highway and Haleakala Avenue. Witnesses told police they saw several juveniles in the area at about 10 a.m., just before the fire began.

An investigation led police to the 14-year-old boy, who was identified by a 30-year-old witness, police said. Police contacted the youth and he turned himself in yesterday.

The boy is the second teenager and third person arrested since May on suspicion of starting a brushfire.

On May 19, a 13-year-old Nanakuli Intermediate School student was arrested and accused of setting a fire that burned 3,000 acres at the back of Nanakuli Valley.

On July 21, police arrested a 19-year-old 'Ewa Beach man in connection with a July 6 brushfire at Kalaeloa. That man was booked for first-degree reckless endangering but was released without being charged.