HAYDEN - Chet and Judy Wolniakowski were doing everything they could to prepare for the worst on Thursday night as the work of an arsonist approached their Hayden home.

"I was gathering up our pets while Chet was helping neighbors stomp out embers that were falling in their yard," Judy said.

Since June 28, firefighters from Northern Lakes Fire District and Kootenai County Fire and Rescue have responded to 15 human-caused fires within a quarter-mile radius of the intersection of 15th Street and Woodland Drive. Thursday at 8:38 p.m., a couple heading up Sundown Road to watch the summer lightning storm saw the beginnings of what would become a 10,000-square-foot fire on a hill near the intersection with Grandview Road and called 911.

"It was scary," Judy said as she surveyed the charred remains of the hillside Friday afternoon.

"Sure looked a lot closer last night," Chet added.

The fires, which have occurred alongside roadways, have all occurred between 4 and 9:30 p.m. Prior to Thursday night, only one had exceeded 100 square feet.

"This person is getting pretty serious about this stuff now," said Northern Lakes spokesman Jim Lyon.

Jeryl Archer, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue fire marshal, told The Press Friday that although his gut says all of the fires have been caused by the same individual, he can't tie them all together until he gets a confession.

"We're still assembling puzzle pieces," Archer said. "We've yet to assemble the puzzle because we are still gathering the pieces."

Firefighters from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue were delayed in responding to the fire because all available units were fighting a fire caused by a lightning strike. Archer told The Press this caused concern among both residents and fire personnel that the fire could get dangerously close to homes.

"With dry conditions you already get accidental fires and the occasional discarded cigarette, that sort of thing," Archer said. "To have somebody running around doing this at the same time is very, very frustrating. We need to get this individual arrested and stopped."

Archer, Lyon and their respective agencies have been investigating the rash of human-caused fires for more than a month. Lyon said fire investigators from the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department have also joined the hunt for the arsonist, even though none of the blazes have been in the agency's purview.

"All three agencies are going together to investigate these fires," Lyon said. "We want to show the community that we are taking this very seriously."

The Wolniakowskis, along with their neighbors, are also taking the arson cases seriously, telling The Press that the close-knit community is passing along any new information to each other as well as law enforcement. When asked what they would say to whomever is responsible, Chet referenced the catchphrase of the 1970s detective show "Baretta."

"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time," he said.

Anyone with information on the person or persons responsible for the fires is encouraged to call (208) 777-8500 or (208) 659-2716.

"When residents smell or see fire, if they can note what vehicles are in the area and a basic description of them, that would be great," Lyon said. "We are keeping track of all of that and all we need is two or three reports connected to these fires to narrow it in."

If there is an actual fire or fire-related emergency, call 911.