Thread: Arivaca blaze started as immigrants' signal fire

Arivaca blaze started as immigrants' signal fire
DAVID L. TEIBEL
Tucson Citizen
A wildland fire burning some 200 acres near Arivaca was started by two illegal immigrants, federal authorities said this morning.
The men started two fires, one a warming fire and the other a signal fire to seek help because one of the men was injured, authorities said. The two were taken into custody, questioned, and voluntarily returned to Mexico, federal officials said. The U.S. Attorney's Office declined to prosecute the men, officials said.
The men were returned to Mexico Wednesday night, Border Patrol Agent Sean King said.
The men had started two fires one a warming fire and the other a larger signal fire, said Marylee Peterson, a Coronado National Forest Service fire information officer.
A Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge employee on his way to work about 7 a.m. Wednesday spotted and reported the fire and Border Patrol agents arriving first at the fire found the two immigrants, one with a sprained ankle, said Dean McAllister, the Coronado's fire management officer.
The immigrants had set the larger fire to get help for the injured man, Peterson said. King said they set fire to a tree.
The immigrants were turned over to Coronado law enforcement officers for questioning, McAlister said, adding the U.S. Attorney's Office declined prosecution in the fire.
McAlister said that decision was based on "legal technicalities."
He would not elaborate other than to say, "None of these folks have the financial means to pay for a fire." He also noted a further cost to taxpayers to imprison the men if they were convicted of setting the fire.
McAlister said he expects the fire to be contained by 6 p.m. today at a cost of $50,000 to $60,000.
Fire officials immediately assigned a large number of firefighters and equipment to the fire, burning about seven miles south of Arivaca, Peterson said.
This morning there were some 65 firefighters, six fire engines, two helicopters and four airplanes assigned to battle the blaze, Peterson said. The fire is burning through dry grass and shrubs and mesquite trees, Peterson said.
Authorities would not release the names of the two immigrants as they had not been charged with a crime.
In the summer of 2002 two set fires merged in eastern Arizona to form the state's most destructive wild land fire, the Rodeo-Chediski fire. The Rodeo-Chediski fire destroyed hundreds of homes and 490,000 acres of forest land.
Leonard Gregg, a parttime firefighter, pleaded guilty to setting the Rodeo fire to create work for himself, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $27 million in restitution.
Valinda Jo Elliot was lost in the woods and set a signal fire that grew into the Chediski fire. Federal authorities decided not to prosecute her as they felt there was not enough evidence of criminal intent.
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http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/11460.php

I wonder just how many more fires in the West, they have started and we haven't been informed?

If it had been a citizen who started this fire, they'd have to pay all costs to put the fire out. Maybe if these guys pulled some time, it might deter the next bunch of illegals from doing the same thing.

None of these folks have the financial means to pay for a fire." He also noted a further cost to taxpayers to imprison the men if they were convicted of setting the fire.

Since when has anyone been concerned whether someone had the means to pay? Or what people our tax dollars are paying for?