Authorities in Colorado have arrested a 63-year-old man for starting a massive wildfire that devastated a 7,200-acre area in August.
The suspect, identified as Brent Garber, is accused of igniting the fire when he tried to cremate his euthanized dog, according to case records.
The Montrose County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) announced that Garber has been charged over the blaze, CBS News reported.
Officials also alleged he had trespassed on private property.
The wildfire started on August 1, according to court documents obtained by the outlet.
It lasted two weeks and caused a minimum of $200,000 in property damage.
The fire also spread to federal land.
An MCSO commander responding to the blaze claimed he identified Garber escaping from the area in an all-terrain vehicle.
The commander revealed that he recognized Garber.
“I know Brent resides in a camper on (U.S. Bureau of Land Management) property,” the commander said in a report.
Man cremating his dog arrested for starting Colorado wildfire https://t.co/hROmjFblZW
— CBSColorado (@CBSNewsColorado) October 13, 2024
According to the report, the commander also observed all-terrain vehicle tracks beyond a gate and fence with “No Trespassing” and “Private Property” signage.
Investigators went to the scene the day following with the investigator.
They found a “dugout” they said contained a partially burned dog carcass with the words “OCT 2017 July 2024 Rocket Dog Rest” etched into a flat rock nearby.
A judge previously ruled that Graber’s dog be euthanized in late July, Garber’s arrest affidavit read.
The animal was euthanized following an altercation with another dog.
An MCSO deputy said there were “other scorch marks and blackened areas which lead from the cave to the rest of the area that was damaged by the fire.”
Garber had previously told the MCSO commander he planned on putting his dog to rest on private property.
He was questioned by law enforcement, authorities said.
Garber requested legal counsel and refused to answer questions.
A neighbor alleged that Graber said he had put the dog and wood into the pit, and then ignited it.
He allegedly admitted to throwing an aerosol can into the burning pit with the dog’s body.
The neighbor claimed that the can exploded and the fire spread to a nearby tree, setting other trees ablaze.
The neighbor alleged that Graber attempted to snuff out the fire using a shovel “but it was so hot he could not get next to it.”
He then fled the area in his vehicle.
Graber was taken into custody on two counts of arson and for trespassing.
He has no history of felony charges in Colorado.
