Idiots are lighting bonfires in my backyard

[Autocratic]

Cliff notes at bottom.

I am almost always at school/working in DC, but when I last returned for break at my house there was some neighborhood drama ensuing.

My family lives in a farmhouse that contains about 5 acres of property. Much of the backyard is wooded. The rest of the neighborhood kind of revolves around my house - pretty much every backyard is attached to my backyard (the average yard is probably about a half acre or less).

It came to our attention that some kids were hanging out in our backyard a bit, in the woods. This isn't a big deal - we have a yard that's easy for kids to chill out and have some fun in, and we aren't neighborhood nazis, so we aren't going to hassle anyone. What does cause concern is a little hang out spot we found. There is tons of debris and trash strewn about, along with a big metal bench. It's clearly just a hang out for the kids, probably to get high or whatever. This doesn't bother us at all, except that there are pretty sizable bonfire pits, which have clearly been used, and burnt debris. This is a serious issue. If a fire were to get out of hand late at night, it could torch pretty much the whole neighborhood, including the houses of these morons.

Today I went to knock on a few doors and tell people the situation, basically saying that the neighborhood was being put at risk by these morons and to keep an eye out. I got a lot of "well clearly this is not my kid, but those kids down the street are no good." I figured as much. However, I then stumbled upon a house where three kids answered the door, the perfect age for this kind of douchebaggery, saying their parents were not home. I told them the deal, they were clearly the culprits and terrible at lying, and one even made a couple snide comments to clear up any doubt. I said we'd either call the cops or confront them ourselves the next time it happens, without calling them out.

I am pretty sure me and a friend could kick the crap out of these kids, which would please me but probable lead to them vandalizing my house or something similar. They would have to be pretty ballsy to do it again, but these are high school kids, so they may well. I really don't want to wait around for these jackasses to burn my house down, but do I really have options aside from waiting to see them again and contacting the cops?

Cliff notes: Kids are having bonfire parties in my backyard. I have pretty much IDed them, and want to beat them up but don't want to start a neighborhood war with young ruffians. Do I have any real options here?