La Pine-area woman cited on arson charges

Oregon State Police cited a La Pine-area woman on first-degree arson charges Thursday evening after responding to reports of several small fires in Sun Forest Estates, off Highway 31 in north Klamath County.

Around 8:30 p.m., an OSP trooper responded to a report of a woman setting fires in Sun Forest Estates near Crosswood Road and Beechwood Drive, west of Highway 31.

Area residents found several small fires and extinguished them. Firefighters responded to look for other possible fire starts and soaked the areas previously extinguished by residents, troopers said.

An OSP trooper found Gail B. Thorpe, 64, walking along a road in the area road. Troopers said a subsequent investigation confirmed Thorpe started the small fires following a domestic argument.

Thorpe was cited and released to appear in Klamath County Circuit Court on first-degree arson charges.