Two 16-year-old Ogden area juveniles will be referred to juvenile court, accused of setting a fire last week that burned 180 acres of grass and brush on Mount Ogden.
Randy Welsh, Ogden district ranger for the U.S. Forest Service, said Monday that charges of negligence in setting a fire will be filed against the two boys sometime this week in 2nd District Juvenile Court in Ogden. The suspects' names were not released because they are juveniles.The boys, from the Ogden area, are accused of starting the fire by setting off fireworks. The blaze roared up the face of drought-stricken Mount Ogden above Weber State College on Sept. 17.
"We've got some pretty good evidence," said Welsh. "We are going to give out a reward."
The government offered a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the apprehension of the person or persons responsible for setting the fire. Welsh said an unnamed person will receive an undisclosed amount of reward money for providing information.
About 100 firefighters from Ogden and the Forest Service fought the blaze for two days before rain fell and snuffed out the fire.
Welsh estimated that taxpayers will end up paying $70,000 to $80,000 to fight the fire, which threatened nearby homes when it first broke out.
Meanwhile, the Forest Service is accepting donations from the public to pay for the reseeding of Strong Canyon. Welsh said that about $60,000 is needed to restore the burned area.