According to the Kremmling Police Department, two juveniles were identified and apprehended due to their alleged involvement in sparking a wildfire in the local Grand County area.

At approximately 2:40 PM on Monday, a wildland fire was reported on the northern side of Kremmling. Multiple departments responded and were able to stamp out the blaze, though the investigation revealed a startling cause behind the fire.

A homemade bottle rocket was found at the scene and is assumed to be what started the fire based on preliminary findings.

A photo of two children on bikes, presumably headed to or fleeing the scene, was also published, along with the photo of the device.

Approximately two hours after the fire sparked, it was announced that two juvenile suspects had been apprehended. Authorities thanked the community for helping to identify the suspect, solving the case.

According to the Grand County website, no fire restrictions are currently in place. Bottle rockets, however, are illegal (along with most fireworks). In cases where a firework starts a fire, an individual can face up to $750,000 in fines or up to 12 years in jail.

It wasn’t clear if the suspects could face any penalties. The quick containment of the blaze likely means that damage was limited. Generally, when children unintentionally start a wildfire, most of the punishment is left up to the parents – as was the case in another Grand County incident that took place in 2021, which resulted authorities giving a fire safety lesson to two small children that started a blaze with a lighter.

However, it should also be noted that this isn’t always the case.

In a major 2018 case, a boy was ordered to pay more than $36 million in restitution after sparking a 2017 wildfire in Oregon by tossing fireworks into a canyon. Fifteen at the time, the boy admitted to starting the blaze and issued an apology. In addition to the $36.6 million restitution cost, the boy was also sentenced to 1,920 hours of community service and five years of probation. Dubbed the Eagle Creek Fire, the blaze burnt approximately 50,000 acres of land.

Though it’s doubtful that the children involved in the homemade bottle rocket case were intentionally trying to start a wildfire with their homemade device, this incident goes to show how important it is to teach fire safety to children. It doesn’t take much to start a blaze and anyone that’s got a means of creating fire can do it, making it crucial that everyone, of all ages, is educated on proper fire safety practices.

Thankfully, the Smokey Bear team has spent decades creating content designed to educate children about fire safety in the outdoor space. Find the ‘Smokey for Kids’ page here and if you’re parent, sit down and go over it with your family.

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