LANE COUNTY, Ore. – A man was arrested and faces arson charges after illegally dumping trash and then burning the pile of garbage on BLM land in Lane County last month.
According to the Bureau of Land Management, the arrest came after ODF responded to and extinguished a fire reported July 6 near the Willamette National Forest.
In coordination with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office, BLM Law Enforcement identified a suspect. Police say the suspected confessed to dumping the trash and returning to set it on fire.
He told police he lit the fire with a canister of diesel fuel to erase any fingerprints he may have left on the garbage. Police say he also told them he left the pile burning.
“Humans cause more than 80% of wildfires on our public lands,” said Adam Johnson, wildfire prevention specialist for the BLM Northwest Oregon District. “We all need to be responsible visitors and take care of our public lands.”
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