A 21-year-old volunteer firefighter is accused of being on the wrong side of the fire line, arrested Friday after witnesses say he set a brush fire at the Green River State Wildlife Management Area in Lee County that scorched roughly 700 acres. Bystanders reportedly tackled the situation themselves, restraining the man until deputies arrived, while fire crews spent hours battling the multi-alarm blaze into the late afternoon.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as 21-year-old Trent Schafer of Kasbeer. He was taken into custody and charged with one count of arson, according to WIFR. The outlet reports Schafer is a volunteer with the Ohio, Illinois, Fire Department, and that investigators say they expect additional arson counts in connection with other recent fires in Lee County and neighboring Bureau County. Prosecutors will review the case as the investigation moves forward.
Witnesses told dispatchers they saw someone get out of a vehicle and deliberately light patches of grass inside the preserve, then held the suspected arsonist until law enforcement arrived, according to KWQC. The call came in just after 11:11 a.m., and the Walnut Fire Department took command once crews reached the scene.
How the Fire Spread and Who Responded
Officials say a mix of wind and dry fuels turned the incident into a five-alarm fire, pulling in mutual aid from departments throughout the region. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources also sent wildland crews to help. WAND reports that departments from Princeton, Tampico, Rock Falls, and Dixon Rural were among those that responded.
Officials estimate the blaze burned about 700 acres. Crews had the fire largely under control by around 3:45 p.m., though firefighters stayed on scene into the evening to knock down hot spots and keep the flames from flaring back up.
Weather and Risk Factors
The National Weather Service reported that warm temperatures, low humidity, and gusty southwest winds that day created prime conditions for brush and grass fires to spread. Local coverage said those same conditions helped the blaze accelerate before crews could fully box it in, according to KWQC.
Charges and Penalties
Under Illinois law, arson is a Class 2 felony, which typically carries a prison term of several years if there is a conviction. The statute is outlined at 720 ILCS 5/20-1, and typical sentencing ranges are summarized by resources such as FindLaw.
Illinois law also allows prosecutors to seek pretrial detention for certain felony charges, including arson, when specific criteria are met under the state’s denial-of-pretrial-release provisions. Those rules are set out in 725 ILCS 5/110-6.1.
Illinois State Police are assisting the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in the ongoing investigation, and officials said no additional details were immediately available, as reported by NBC Chicago. Investigators are asking anyone with video or information from the Green River area to contact local law enforcement as they work to firm up the timeline and look into possible motives.
