HARTSEL, Colo. — A man pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor Monday in connection with a wildfire that burned 41 acres and prompted evacuations in Park County last year, according to court documents.
Robert Heneghan, 84, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor arson charge and was given a deferred sentence, according to court documents. A felony arson charge was dropped as part of the plea agreement.
The wildfire, named the Badger Creek Fire, burned 41 acres and prompted evacuations south of the town of Hartsel in April 2023. No structures were lost, but some property was damaged, the sheriff's office said at the time. A firefighter suffered superficial burns during the response.
The sheriff said at the time that Heneghan started a fire on his property on April 12, and that fire spread. A burn ban was in place at the time. The wildfire was fully contained the next day.
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