A 63-year-old man from the Western Slope has been taken into custody on suspicion of arson and trespassing for allegedly igniting a wildfire while attempting to cremate his dog, as per the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office.
The Bucktail fire erupted north of Nucla on Aug. 1, scorching 7,200 acres of private and national forest land for over a week, leading to the destruction of a home before firefighters managed to gain significant control over it.
Brent Scott Garber was identified as a suspect by a Montrose County Sheriff’s Office commander who spotted him driving an ATV away from the fire shortly after it was reported, according to an arrest affidavit. The arrest of Garber was initially reported by the Montrose Daily Press.
The commander later joined state fire investigators at the origin of the fire and discovered a dug-out cave, the partly burnt remains of a dog, and a large rock inscribed with the words “Oct. 2017 July 2024, Rocket Dog, Rest in Peace Buddy” along with a bone attached below the inscription.
Rocket was Garber’s pet dog that had to be put down by Nucla town authorities following a court order because Rocket had engaged in a fight with another dog, according to the affidavit.
Garber resided in a camper near the spot where the fire began, and witnesses later informed investigators that Garber had mentioned accidentally setting the fire ablaze after a spray can he tossed ignited a tree when it blew out of the pit.
The Sheriff’s Office estimated that the fire resulted in more than $300,000 in damages, as per the affidavit.
Garber has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
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