Investigators believe Colorado fire was deliberate
US investigators have concluded that the Forest Service employee accused of starting the biggest fire in Colorado’s history did so deliberately, it was reported today.
More than 10,000 acres of woodland were destroyed in the blaze, which Terry Barton said was sparked by accident when she burned a letter from her estranged husband.
But investigators told the New York Times they believed the 38-year-old mother-of-two lied about how it started.
A senior Forest Service official said investigators found burned underbrush positioned in such a way that it suggested Barton intended to light the blaze.
‘‘They knew immediately that the fire was set,’’ the official told the newspaper. ‘‘They found enough material to know that it was more than two sheets of paper burned that caused the fire.’’
Barton, who has worked for the Forest Service for 18 years, faces up to 20 years in jail and fines of up to €796,000. She will appear in court tomorrow.
