High Chateau Fire Started By Campfire, 3 Arrested

TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- A wildfire blamed for destroying at least eight homes was started by a campfire. Three people have been arrested.

The High Chateau Fire has burned more than 1,400 acres since it started on June 29, about four miles south of Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Teller County.

Three people from Colorado Springs, including two teenagers, are facing first-degree arson charges.

The suspects have been identified as David Renfrow, 23, Kegan Owens, 19, and a 17-year-old boy who has not been identified because he is a juvenile.

Investigators say the suspects left a campfire unattended which sparked the fire. Campfires were already prohibited due to fire restrictions at the time. The suspects are facing four to eight years in prison with fines up to $750,000.

At the height of the threat, the High Chateau Fire forced more than 1,700 people form their homes in Teller and Park counties.

The fire was 95 percent contained Monday morning. Teller County remains under a stage three fire ban, which makes all open fires illegal.

LINK: Chateau Fire Facebook Page

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