Vancouver teen charged in nearly 49,000-acre Eagle Creek Fire

HOOD RIVER, Ore. (AP) – Charges have been lodged against a 15-year-old Vancouver, Wash., boy who allegedly used fireworks to start a wildfire in Oregon’s scenic Columbia River Gorge that burned out of control, triggering evacuations, the closing of Interstate 84 and causing ash to rain down on nearby Portland.
 
The Hood River County District Attorney said in a statement Thursday that the charges in juvenile court include reckless burning, depositing burning materials on forest lands, criminal mischief and recklessly endangering other persons.
 
The Eagle Creek Fire that started Sept. 2 burned nearly 49,000 acres of forestland, devastating beloved day trails around dozens of crystalline waterfalls.
 
The charges came after a criminal investigation by the Oregon State Police. The statement said legal proceedings have commenced in the Hood River County Circuit Court where the youth was arraigned.

Here’s the statement released by OSP, from the Hood River County District Attorney’s Office:

“When the Eagle Creek fire erupted, a criminal investigation was immediately begun by the Oregon State Police. US Forest Service investigators have been assisting the State Police in this ongoing investigation. As a result of the investigation, legal proceedings have been commenced in the Hood River County Circuit Court. A fifteen-year-old boy recently appeared and was arraigned on a Juvenile Court Petition.

Allegations in the Petition include acts of Reckless Burning, Depositing Burning Materials on Forest Lands, Unlawful Possession of Fireworks, Criminal Mischief and Recklessly Endangering Other Persons.

The charging petition was filed by the Hood River County Juvenile Department at the direction of the Hood River County District Attorney John Sewell. The Hood River County District Attorney’s office has been acting in cooperation with the Multnomah County District Attorney’s office.

Although extensive damage caused by the wildfire occurred in both Hood River and Multnomah counties, Oregon’s juvenile code dictates that legal proceedings be commenced in the county where the illegal act originally occurred, which is Hood River County.

The District Attorney’s office, the Oregon State Police and the Hood River County Juvenile Department will have no further comment until the case has been resolved.”