Forestry Worker Admits Starting Colorado Fire

A US Forest Service employee arrested for starting a fire that has scorched more than 40,469 hectares (100,000 acres) of land in Colorado by burning a letter from her estranged husband in a national forest was due to appear in court later today.

The forestry technician, Terry Barton, 38, has admitted starting the fire while patrolling the Pike National Forest to enforce a fire ban, the assistant US attorney, Bill Leone, said.

She was charged with setting fire to timber in the national forest, damaging federal property and making false statements to investigators.

Mrs Barton burnt the letter from her estranged husband inside a designated campfire ring, where fires would normally be permitted, then tried to put out the blaze.

"She attempted to suppress the fire but it grew," Mr Leone said.

Mrs Barton initially told authorities that she smelled smoke, discovered an illegal campfire and tried to put it out by throwing earth on it.

Investigators found that she could not have smelled smoke from the position she reported and later confronted her with unspecified forensic evidence.

If convicted, Barton could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison and face a fine of $250,000.

She was held in federal custody yesterday and was due to make an initial court appearance in federal court later today.

Firefighters today reported some success in trying to contain the fire, which has been burning since June 8 and has spread to within 40 miles (64 kms) of Denver city limits. About 5,400 people have been evacuated from their homes.

There are six other fires raging in the mountainous state of Colorado and another in California.