Two men blamed for starting the Stouts Creek fire in Oregon last year will be billed $37 million, the amount it cost to put the fire out.
Officials wantDominic Decarlo, 70, and Cloyd Deardoff, 64, to pay back the government for the Stouts Creek wildfire, which started July 30, 2015 and destroyed 25,000 acres, The Oregonian reported. Investigators discovered the men’s lawnmowers were the cause of the fire — at the time, people were barred from mowing lawns between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. due to fire restrictions. The Stouts Creek fire started in the afternoon, according to The Oregonian.
The men were cited for unlawful use of fire, with Deardorff facing additional citations for unlawful entry into a restricted forestland area. The $37 million they owe will cover the cost of firefighting crews, helicopters and bulldozers and food for the firefighters.
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Write to Mahita Gajanan at mahita.gajanan@time.com