DENVER (KDVR) — A man allegedly started a small wildfire above a residential neighborhood, then just a day later started another campfire, violating fire restrictions in Summit County amid a significant fire season.
Summit County Sheriff’s deputies on Thursday evening found Stephen Thomas sitting next to an active campfire near the Buffalo Cabin Trail, just above the Wildernest neighborhood, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post. First responders just a day before on Wednesday had put out a small wildfire in the same area.
“This fire was immediately contained, and the person responsible is being held accountable thanks to quick calls from the community,” Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons said. “Please continue to report any suspected fires immediately.”
Thomas was arrested and is facing charges of firing woods/prairie during Stage 2 Fire Restrictions and unlawful conduct on public property for having a campfire in violation of fire restrictions.
The wildfire found Wednesday was about 10 feet by 10 feet and climbing into nearby trees before Summit County Sheriff’s deputies, the U.S. Forest Service – White River National Forest, and Summit Fire & EMS personnel put it out. It “appeared to be associated with a camp.”
Deputies on Thursday were called to the same area the next day for smoke, where they found Thomas with the campfire.
That campfire was already in violation of fire restrictions in place, but investigators found cause linking Thomas to the wildfire the previous day.
The two fires come just weeks after major wildfires ripped through western Colorado, including the state’s fifth-largest wildfire in history: the Lee Fire. One wildfire that grew to more than 100 acres was also determined to be caused by a campfire.
“While recent moisture helped prevent this fire from spreading, had this same incident occurred just a few weeks ago, the outcome could have been devastating,” FitzSimons said. “Fire restriction violations threaten the very fabric of our community, and we take them extremely seriously.”
Full details on Summit County fire restrictions can be seen at the sheriff’s office website, and anyone who wants to report suspected fire restriction violations can call non-emergency dispatch at (970) 668-8600.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
