From Associated Press

7:05 AM PDT, August 22, 2003

Fires at an auto dealership charred a warehouse and destroyed several SUVs on today, while other vehicles were vandalized with scrawled messages including "fat, lazy Americans" and the initials of a militant environmental group.

"With all the evidence that you're already seeing on the vehicle, its highly likely it's an arson fire," said Rick Genovese, fire marshal for West Covina.

The blaze broke out about 5 a.m. at a Hummer and Chevrolet auto dealership in the Los Angeles suburb.

Flames engulfed several vehicles, including Hummer H2s, but there were no reports of injuries. A separate blaze about 100 yards away caved in a warehouse roof and sent plumes of smoke into the air.

The word "ELF" was written on at least one vehicle in a possible reference to the group Earth Liberation Front.

The underground group has claimed responsibility for a slew of arson attacks against commercial entities that members say threaten or damage the environment. It is suspected in a $50 million arson Aug. 1 fire that destroyed a five-story complex under construction in San Diego's fast-growing northern edge.

In an e-mail sent Monday to reporters, ELF's news office said it appeared that San Diego-area fire was targeting "rampant urban development," but said it had not been in contact with the persons responsible. No one was injured in the fire.

In today's blaze, other slogans written in large letters on the sides and hoods of the vehicles included "I (heart) Pollution," "American Wastefullness" and "Fat, Lazy, Americans."

Genovese said whoever set the fire may have been trying to protest vehicles that pollute the air because of their poor fuel economy. But he said their approach was misguided.

"There's a lot more pollutants from the fire than the vehicles would pollute during their lifetime," he said. "There's hundreds of tons of pollutants that were spilled off."