West
Colorado man allegedly ignites massive forest fire while trying to cremate his dog: reports
A Montrose County, Colorado, man faces criminal charges after he allegedly started a forest fire that claimed more than 7,000 acres while trying to cremate his dog, according to reports.
A local ABC station in Grand Junction, Colorado, reported that court documents show 63-year-old Brent Garber has been accused of starting the Bucktail Fire on Aug. 1, 2024 and now faces two counts of arson and one count of second-degree trespassing.
The Bucktail Fire was one of Colorado’s largest fires this year. The Montrose Sheriff’s Office said the fire burned 7,202 acres and was 80% contained by Wednesday with the help of more than 100 firefighting personnel.
The affidavit reportedly shows that Garber was linked to the fire after investigators discovered the location where the inferno was first ignited.
SUSPECTED CALIFORNIA ARSONIST ARRESTED FOR STARTING LINE FIRE THAT HAS BURNED THOUSANDS OF ACRES: AUTHORITIES
A Colorado man ignited a forest fire in August after attempting to cremate his dog. (Photo by Don Emmert/VIEWpress)
The location was a dugout, the station reported, and it was the location where Garber allegedly attempted to hold a funeral for his dog Rocket.
Above the entrance to the dugout, investigators found a rock that was inscribed with, “Oct 2017 – July 2024. Rocket Dog. Rest in Peace Buddy.”
Garber allegedly put his dog in a pit with pieces of wood before lighting the timber on fire.
SMOKEY BEAR TURNS 80, IS STILL SPREADING FIRE SAFETY MESSAGES TODAY
A firefighter sprays water on bush fires. (iStock)
Investigators also said Garber threw a spray can on the fire. The can ultimately exploded, catching a nearby tree on fire.
After the fire was reported, investigators said a police officer saw Garber riding on an ATV close to where the fire started.
The officer also said Garber told him days earlier that he planned to bury his dog on private property, the station reported.
Police said Rocket was put down by a court order after getting into a fight with another dog.
Garber is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday. He faces three felony charges – two for arson and one for second-degree trespassing.
Read the full article from Here
Oregon
Oregon Country Fair set to open Friday as crews finish preparations in Veneta
The Oregon Country Fair is right around the corner and got an up-close preview of the annual event with generations of revelers expected to return yet again.
Vendors and construction teams were busy setting the venue up on Wednesday. It opens to the public on Friday, and organizers are expecting a big turnout.
For over fifty years, people have come together to enjoy live music, art, food and community at the event in Veneta.
“It has definitely changed and evolved and it’s definitely still holding true to the magic that has started the fair,” said fair attendee Jill Carter.
Carter has been going to the fair for about forty years, but throughout her time there, there’s always one thing on her mind.
“I’ve had a lifelong dream to do the poster, and I’ve been working on applying for a long time, and I got to do it and I’m so excited!”
Carter says over the years, she’s fine-tuned her design proposal to accurately capture the whimsey of the fair.
“In our day-to-day world, we really don’t get to connect on this kind of level of art and whimsey.”
This curated space of art and whimsey is what keeps generations returning to the fair.
“I was at a meeting the other day and somebody was a third generation Oregon Country fairgoer. Their parents were babies here. They were babies here. Now, they’re on crews that help manage the safety of this community,” says Kate Gillespie, the White Bird Rock Medicine crew coordinator.
Gillespie has been working within medical response at the fair for sixteen years.
Before fair goers even arrive, White Bird Rock Medicine works on setting up for the two hospitals provided on site as well as staffing medical crew – which consists of almost 300 medical professionals and mental health crisis workers.
“We are prepared to deal with first aid things like scrapes, bumps, bruises; injured feet are a big thing that we see – all the way up to things like cardiac events and strokes,” Gillespie explains.
And for the attendees they serve, the event is a yearly tradition that is more than just a fair – it’s a chance to catch up with old friends and make new memories.
“I think it’s really like a reunion for a lot of the people that are out here on this property,” says Gillespie.
The Oregon Country Fair runs Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the intersection of Suttle Road and Bus Road in Veneta.
For more information, visit the fair website.
Utah
Turn your miles into meals
SALT LAKE CITY, UT (Good Things Utah) – A Park City charitable foundation is challenging outdoor athletes to turn their miles into meals for hungry kids. Terrence Moorehead is the co-founder of the non-profit RipLine Foundation. He says the RipLine Foundation seeks to channel the energy of Utah’s outdoor athletes, adventurers, and enthusiasts into the fight against childhood hunger. RipLine’s mission: Fight Hunger Feed the Future. It’s delivered through three peer‑to‑peer leader challenges across the year that turn movement into meals for children in need. 100% of funds raised go directly to vetted giving partners, including No Kid Hungry, Feeding America, Feed the Children, and Vitamin Angels.
The challenge is to turn every mile walked, run, biked, or hiked, and every hole of golf played into meals for kids facing food insecurity. Terrence says ‘Outdoor athletes are the most generous, motivated, and passionate community in the state and we’re done pretending we can’t do something to help our kids. Every mile is a meal. Every climb is a meal. Every round of golf is a meal. If you’re already moving, you’re already qualified.’
He says this summer they have Miles in the Wild™ – walking, running, biking, and hiking – which currently runs through September, and Balls Out™ which is our summer golf challenge. They are encouraging athletes in their preferred sport to rally networks of family, friends, coworkers, and crews to sponsor their effort.
Terrence says ‘Childhood hunger is unacceptable in a country this abundant — and it’s an area where we can have a real and meaningful impact. What’s been missing is a model that scales — that turns individual effort into measurable, repeatable impact. RipLine is built to do exactly that. Every Leader brings a network. Every dollar reaches a child. The math works. The Foundation has committed to providing one million meals in 2026 alone — its first year of fundraising — with a 2030 target of four million meals and one million children nourished.’
To sign up go to riplinefoundation.org
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