ORANGE COUNTY, California  — One of the larger fires in Southern California was deliberately started by someone with apparent knowledge of arson, a fire official said Thursday.

Firefighter Luke Perisin sets a backfire Wednesday against the Santiago Fire in Live Oak Canyon, California.

The Santiago Fire in Orange County was started in two places along a little-traveled road, according to Chief Chip Prather of the county’s fire authority.

The fire, which has burned more than 25,000 acres, was started in brush just off Santiago Canyon Road, not close to homes. It spread rapidly, indicating the arsonist had some knowledge of winds and other factors.

“It is a confirmed arson. There was evidence found at the scene. That is the purpose of our early declaration of it being an arson-caused fire,” Prather said. He would not describe the evidence.

Prather said officials originally thought the fire had three points of origin instead of two.

The Santiago Fire’s points of origin are considered crime scenes, said Jim Amornino, a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff’s.

The reward for information leading to an arrest has increased to $250,000 — $50,000 each from the governor’s office, the U.S. agency of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI, Prather said. KFI radio has chipped in another $100,000, the Sheriff’s department said.

The state established a toll-free arson tip line at 800-540-7085. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said anyone convicted of arson would be dealt with harshly.

If a suspect is to be found, “it’s going to be by a clue from the public,” said county Sheriff Mike Corona.

NEW YORK — You can’t keep a good American down. 

Captain America will return with his trademark shield, but he also will have some new firepower.

The artists are bringing the hero back with a gun..

While the famed hero is returning to fight the good fight, Marvel made clear that the original character, Steve Rogers, remains dead.

 A yet-to-be-revealed character will don this new Captain America suit. In March, Dan Buckley, the president and publisher of Marvel Entertainment’s publishing group, told FOXNews.com that Captain America’s return was a possibility.

“A Ture Hero Never Die’s Welcome Back Captain America who every you are.” .

On his way to an arraignment at the Federal Courthouse in New York City, Captain America was shot in the right shoulder by a sniper’s bullet. Several subsequent shots were fired point blank at Rogers by Sharon Carter, brainwashed by Dr. Faustus who was allied with the Red Skull. Sharon, unaware of her actions and concealed by the crowd during the shooting, escorted Rogers to the hospital while the Falcon (Sam Wilson)” and the Winter Soldier subdued the sniper, Crossbones (Brock Rumlow). Captain America was pronounced dead on arrival at Mercy Hospital. Sharon’s memory was restored by a keyword spoken by the Red Skull’s daughter, Sin (Sinthia Shmidt).