Teens Throw Fireworks Into Dry Brush, 5500 Acre Fire Spreading Fast

[jyl]

5,500 acre forest fire in beautiful mountains in the Columbia Gorge, about 40 miles east of Portland. 150 hikers were trapped overnight, about 200 houses evacuated, more towns being evacuated as fire moves west at 0% containment. In Portland sky is brown and the sun an orange blur. Air quality dreadful, schools closing early, ash falling in parts of the city.

It was started by two teenagers, throwing fireworks off a cliff into the forest below and video'ing each other. This happened at a trail that leads to pools and waterfalls. Hikers heard the fireworks exploding in the brush. Other hikers saw the teens throwing the fireworks, told them to stop, called police. Police responded before the teens and, by some reports, their parents, drove away. At least one of the teens is in custody, he's 15 y/o.

What's the consequence for people who start forest fires?. Are they prosecuted, jailed, forced to pay for the firefighting costs and damage?

You don't read about many cases where the person who starts a forest fire is identified. The hunter whose illegal campfire caused the 250,000 acre Rim fire in the Yosemite area was going to be criminally prosecuted, but the two witnesses both died before trial (workplace accident, cardiac arrest) so charges were dropped.

[HardDrive]

At least neuter the morons so they can't breed.

[Tobra]

Crap, I am driving to Portland in a few days, had planned to drive up the Gorge

They should be punished severely

[JD159]

Community service. Weekends. For what, 25 years?

[rusnak]

Beatings.

[Evans, Marv]

There seem to be lots of crimes where the punishment doesn't meet the level of the crime. Here a guy in '03 was lost and started a fire to draw attention. It ended up burning 270+K acres. Some people video taped some losers throwing burning material into grass in a rural hiking area a couple of months ago and running away. Don't know if they ever figured out who they were. I can't figure out why people do things like that.

[jyl]

Direct costs of fighting the fire are probably going to be several hundred thousand dollars. Destruction of forest which is heavily used for recreation, maybe houses soon. I-84 closed.

A 15 y/o is judgment proof, but what about his family? Should they be forced to pay something?

[rusnak]

The ..how do I put this - nature defenders and holistic moralists must have some major ambivalence about this. After all, kids are kids right?

[pwd72s]

These just dumb kids.

But I really wonder about all the fires popping up throughout the west.

Sure seems like an easy to do terrorist weapon. Easy to do, easy to get away with.

[LWJ]

When I was in Jr High, a girl was smoking in my soon to be high school gym. It burned down. She got out. The high school kids gave her a ton of grief. She killed herself.

The fire is a big deal. I was fishing on Mt Hood with my 15 yr old yesterday. It was very smokey. That said, those kids will be living regret for years.

Good luck to them. They need it.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by jyl

A 15 y/o is judgment proof, but what about his family? Should they be forced to pay something?

Yes, parents are responsible for their actions until 18

[island911]

Originally Posted by jyl

...

A 15 y/o is judgment proof, but what about his family? Should they be forced to pay something?

Why. They're simply following the template of every child is a special lil snowflake who must be allowed full leeway in decision making. --allowed to destroy whatever...
Haven't you seen all of the cool kids in black garb burning sht up in Portland? --Roll models.

[speeder]

And here he is pulling down his pants and taking another toxic dump in a thread about wildfires. Pulled straight from the alt-right dictionary, no less.

Did you get lost on your way to PARF this morning, Island? You were supposed to punch in nearly an hour ago for your full time gig spreading the word over there. Git along now, boy.

[Geary]

Political spin aside, this instance is unfortunately a drop in the bucket of a very serious problem. Click around on this map of the PNW:

https://www.fireweatheravalanche.org/fire/

[pdxfj]

It's lightly snowing ash here in Portland. The smoke is thick enough, you can't see more than about 1/4 of a mile.

Fire jumped the Columbia river last night and is now burning on the Washington side as well.

Given the terrain and how fast the fires are moving, I don't see how they will get a handle on it. There is a slight possibility of rain later in the week.

[jyl]

Eagle Creek fire is blowing up. 10,000 acres now, in two states, parts of Troutdale now under evacuation watch. Historic Columbia Highway area ablaze, including a wood framed tunnel and other road and trail structures that were recently restored. Fire reportedly burning at some of the falls and pools. This is a major out of control fire that is close to urban areas. It is in a scenic area where tens of thousands of Portlanders visit every year. Most out of town guests, we take them to Multnomah Falls. Airdrops were halted because thick smoke is obscuring the ridges.

[speeder]

It's hellfire and damnation. Just calamitous.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by speeder

It's hellfire and damnation. Just calamitous.

Honest question - what do you think the consequences should be for the teens, if any?

[Nostril Cheese]

its pretty bad in PDX. Snowing ash all of yesterday and today.

This is a MAJOR disaster for Oregon.

[jyl]

Woman Witnessed Teen Tossing Firecrackers Into Gorge: “There Was a Whole Group of Kids Who Found It Funny To Do This” - Willamette Week