Man accused of setting wildfire in Summit County
SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- It hasn't been an easy year for first responders, with this year being one of the worst wildfire seasons since 2020.
According to our partners at 9News in Denver, the Lee Fire is now the fourth-largest wildfire in state history. As that fire still burns at 90 percent containment, officials in a county to the west allege that a man in their area was not following fire restrictions and endangered wildland.
The Summit County Sheriff's Office said that on Wednesday, first responders were called out to a report of a fire near Buffalo Cabin Trail, just above the Wildernest neighborhood in unincorporated Summit County.
The sheriff's office says that when they arrived, the fire was roughly 10 feet by 10 feet in size. Firefighters believed it started from a campfire.
A day later, the sheriff's office says deputies responded to a report of smoke in the same area. There, they say they found Stephen Thomas sitting next to an active campfire.
"Deputies established probable cause linking Thomas to the previous day’s wildfire," the sheriff's office said.
According to deputies, Thomas was arrested and booked into the Summit County Detention Facility for:
• Firing woods/prairie during stage 2 fire restrictions, a felony
• Unlawful conduct on public property, a misdemeanor
“This fire was immediately contained, and the person responsible is being held accountable thanks to quick calls from the community. Please continue to report any suspected fires immediately," Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons said in a press release.
According to the sheriff's office, the county is currently under stage one fire restrictions, which means campfires are only allowed in developed campgrounds with fire rings or on private property with a permit from the fire department.
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