Out-of-state student accused of starting northern Arizona wildfire by lighting cottonwood seeds

PHOENIX – An out-of-state college student allegedly started a wildfire in northern Arizona on Tuesday by burning cottonwood seeds with a lighter, authorities said.

The unnamed 22-year-old man from Louisiana was participating in a rock-climbing training group at Granite Gardens Trailhead in Prescott when the fire broke out, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.

The suspect allegedly was burning cottonwood seeds “out of curiosity,” but the fire quickly spread through dry terrain, YCSO said. Cottonwood seeds look like white fluff and are highly flammable.

The smoky fire burned trees and debris along Granite Creek in an area about 100 feet long and 50 feet wide, just over a tenth of an acre.

The Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority and Prescott Fire Department arrived at the scene and contained the fire. The response was bolstered by other fire agencies that happened to be training nearby.

Authorities arrested the Louisiana student on suspicion of reckless burning and endangerment.

Related

Arizona deploys AI-powered cameras to detect wildfires ahead of peak seasonTonto National Forest to lift fire restrictions citing lower fire dangerCoconino National Forest to lift fire restrictions MondayGrand Canyon to ease fire restrictions on South Rim due to increased monsoon activityHow badly did the Pocket Fire damage land near Sedona? Crews are finding outRemaining Pocket Fire resources focus on repair work as crews move toward full containment