Man ordered to pay $2.7 M for New Mexico fire

GavelA Texas resident has been ordered to pay $2,700,000 in restitution for starting a wildfire in New Mexico in April of 2011. Rodrigo Ulloa-Esquivel of El Paso admitted that he lit toilet paper on fire after relieving himself. He explained that he did not want to leave litter behind. The Last Chance fire burned 53,342 acres in the Lincoln National Forest and damaged four structures in the Sitting Bulls Falls Recreation area. U.S. Forest Service officials said it cost $2,300,000 million to suppress the fire and the damages to the structures amounted to $67,500.

He was also sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.

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About Bill Gabbert

Wildland fire has been a major part of Bill Gabbert’s life for several decades. After growing up in the south, he migrated to southern California where he lived for 20 years, working as a wildland firefighter. Later he took his affinity for firefighting to Indiana and eventually the Black Hills of South Dakota where he was the Fire Management Officer for a group of seven national parks. Today he is the creator and owner of WildfireToday.com and Sagacity Wildfire Services and serves as an expert witness in wildland fire. If you are interested in wildland fire, welcome… grab a cup of coffee and put your feet up. Google+

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