Two minor fires in South Lake Tahoe on Wednesday afternoon are believed to have been started by children.

Both were behind Heavenly Valley Estates and were close to each other.

At the scene fire officials found a lighter that was presumably used to light the pine needles. A Jeffery pine was torched, which sent smoke billowing into the air.

Although neither plot of charred land was more than 400-square-feet, South Tahoe Fire Marshal Ray Zachau said investigators want to know who started the fires. He expects it was the same kids in both instances.

This time of year fuels are extremely combustible because moisture has been scarce.

— Compiled by Kathryn Reed