Authorities investigate a series of fires in Selma

SELMA, California (KFSN) -- In the Raisin Capital of the World, the Raisin Queen reigns supreme, but an arsonist is threatening the history of the throne.

In among the torched remnants of auction prizes, antique items, and business promotions are ashes that used to be photos of the queens. Morgan Herrera, Nathelie Tucker, and all the rest are just marks on the walls now.

"But you know, those are things, so again, nobody was hurt and we have to look at the positive side of this," said Robert Allen, Selma Chamber of Commerce.

Allen, the Chamber Director, is hoping the original photographer has an archive, but for now, he's worried about business, so the Chamber has moved down the street to City Hall.

For firefighters, the business at hand is finding the arsonist whose night seems to have ended at the Chamber and the neighboring Cal-Water.

Investigators think the same person burned an empty business about a mile away. A witness saw a man throwing flaming palm fronds into a broken window there. And investigators revisited a couple house fires they now believe might be related.

The evidence may tie them together, but there's nothing else connecting the targets.

"That's why this is just so strange for this kind of activity to happen in Selma. I mean, we've never seen this. In my 30 years, I've never seen this," said Mike Kain, Selma Fire Chief.

In the five fires, the Chamber sustained the worst damage, but Allen is looking past the soot as he gears up for a Citizen of the Year banquet at the end of March.

"It's going to slow me down in the process of doing that and they may not get a newsletter this month. But we will pick up the pieces and go from there."

Investigators took fingerprints from one of the burning garbage cans they found. They are also checking surveillance video from the streets and businesses in the area.