A 61-year-old man was arrested in Butte County Tuesday afternoon after he reportedly set a controlled backfire to combat the Thompson Fire, an effort that authorities claim put the public and firefighting personnel at risk. As ABC10 reports, Harold Pulley was taken into custody after he set a quarter-acre backfire close to the Thompson Fire, which he ignited using a propane torch off the Oro Quincy Highway; this occurred hours after the initial wildfire had begun northeast of Oroville.
Pulley, who was found near the backfire, was accused of using a prohibited technique to hinder the advance of the wildfire, despite backfires being a known method for controlling larger blaze advancement, and despite the common knowledge that setting a fire intentionally can be a method to burn off vegetation creating a barrier officials had not authorized his action the fire he set "posed a significant risk to the public, property and safety of personnel engaged in firefighting activities on the Thompson Fire," according to CAL FIRE's press release obtained by ABC10.
The Thompson Fire, which has been causing extensive evacuations, has been burning in the area for several days and was reported to be 29% contained after having burned approximately 3,789 acres. Large-scale evacuations have left more than 20,000 people out of their homes as fire crews battle the blaze that is roughly the size of a university campus, FOX40 notes.
Information regarding the circumstances surrounding the Thompson Fire and the subsequent backfire are still under investigation by authorities, law enforcement officers are urging anyone with knowledge of the incidents to step forward, emphasizing the importance of community involvement in mitigating the spread of wildfires and holding individuals responsible for activities that could endanger lives and property, those with information about suspicious fires are encouraged to contact Cal Fire at 530-538-7888 or the statewide arson hotline at 1-800-468-4408 as efforts to contain the fire and prevent further hazards continue.
