<sigh> here we go again. The last one in AZ burned almost half a million acres (when it joined up with another)

A signal fire started by a lost hiker Saturday night has erupted into a several hundred acre wildfire about a mile from the Crown King community north of the Valley, Yavapai County Sheriff's Office officials said.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/06/29/20080629crownking.html

As Smokie says, Please, only YOU can prevent forest fires.

I'd say the person responsible for starting the fire should be required to pay for the damages. Including the people time and effort. and the cost of thier rescue.

When someone starts a stupid fire, and they lose control of it, they put the lives of good people in immediate danger. That is horrific, selfish, obscene; it raises my blood pressure off the chart. Shame! Idiot! Shame!

I suspect this individual is going to discover that an investment in a PLB suddenly isn't going to look so expensive.

Signal fire, hmmm? Great, one more thing we'll get blamed for.

Doug, as much as I squirm saying it, I'm leaning more to the PLB and GPS recommendation.

Only Bill Gates could afford to actually pay for fighting a monster fire, but the setter should have to pay. A lot. And lots of community service time...

"five hikers got lost and one of them left the group and started a signal fire"

In California right now we have over one thousand (1,000)primarily lightning-caused fires burning; the central Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley have been filled with unhealthy levels of particulate matter from smoke for days. So, starting a fire is not too popular around here.

In California, anyone found guilty of intentionally starting a fire like the one in AZ could be subject to civil fines and various criminal charges, but only after an investigation established the facts.

I agree with all the sentiments expressed so far, but also caution that we should not rush to a final judgment. Let's learn what all the facts are so we can learn whatever real lessons are presented beyond just the headlines of this story.

How about learning and then teaching fire safety, along with restoring the fire area, as community service?

IIRC the hunter who set the signal fire that eventually became the Cedar Fire in San Diego back in Oct 2003 got jail time.

Are we talking about setting a brush fire to signal searchers or lighting a small, contained fire or perhaps 3 as I believe that's the preferred method of signaling for help?

Anyone who purposely sets a brush fire is an arsonist, someone who lights a controlled fire(s) to attract the attention of rescuers is a member of these forums...;^)

John E

I could see someone not knowing how to keep a contained, not pick or clear an area to prevent that spread of fire, etc. They probably do not belong where they ended up wanting to build a rescue fire.