A Utah couple have been cited for leaving a still-lit campfire that later spread into the surrounding hills — destroying three homes in Bountiful and forcing hundreds to evacuate.
The Forest Service had originally considered filing federal charges against Jeremy Flores and Ashlyn Nelson of Layton. But now each faces a ticket with a potential fine up to $250, said Melodie Rydalch, the spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Utah.
“It’s hard because houses burned down,” Rydalch said. “But this is negligence, not something we’d have to make an arson case with.”
Flores and Nelson are accused of leaving their campfire unattended while it still burned late in the night on Aug.