UPDATE: Human-caused fire at Yellowstone’s North Entrance; Suspect pleaded guilty to starting fire, sentenced to three months in jail

An investigation of the human-caused fire at the North Entrance of Yellowstone National Park resulted in a suspect who was charged for discarding a lighted material in a hazardous manner. At approximately 6:00 p.m. on Friday, July 26, a human-caused fire spread through the grass and sage between the North Entrance Station and the Gardner River. It was contained at approximately 4 acres.

Curtis J Faustich, a seasonal concessionaire employee in Yellowstone, admitted to dropping a lit cigarette on the ground while sitting at a picnic table and igniting the fire.

Faustich appeared Tuesday, August 6, 2019, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Carman at the Yellowstone Justice Center in Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming. While in court, Faustich pleaded guilty to the charge. Sentencing included:

•Three months of incarceration

•$5,000 in restitution

•Two years of unsupervised probation

•Prohibited from entering Yellowstone National Park for two years

Park law enforcement officers sincerely thank the individuals who called the park’s 24-hour Tip Line at 307-344-2132 and provided timely incident details.



Jeff
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