Patrick Ryan Courtney was sentenced today for starting multiple fires on the Sequoia National Forest California in 2006. He pleaded no contest to four felony counts and a special allegation related to four fires that started on September 3. Judge James Holman sentenced Courtney to 15 years in prison.
Because there were multiple starts, an air attack plane, Air Attack 410, was conducting a reconnaissance flight. During the flight it crashed, killing the pilot, Sandy Willett, 52, and Battalion Fire Chief Rob Stone, 36.
The fires burned about six acres of federal lands.
