Colorado police arrest suspect accused of starting Meadow Creek Fire in Frisco
One person has been arrested in connection with a wildfire that broke out in Colorado's High Country this weekend.
On Saturday evening, the Frisco Police Department arrested a person they believe caused the Meadow Creek Fire, which burned around 6.3 acres of Town of Frisco open space. Authorities said they don't believe the person is from the area. The suspect reportedly remains in custody, and officials said the case will now go to the 5th Judicial District Attorney's Office.
On Sunday crews with Summit Fire and EMS marched back through the charred black marshlands to monitor hotspots and determine an official cause and ignition source of the fire. While police have someone in custody, it's still up to the fire department to come up with an official decision on the cause.
"We know our transient population lives back in this area, that's where we would put some focus," Ryan Cole, a battalion chief with Summit Fire and EMS told CBS Colorado. "But we can't just zero in on one group. We have to really play into the whole factor."
Summit County Dispatch received a 911 call around 5 p.m. Saturday to report the wildfire, which broke out on public land between Wildflower Lane, Meadow Drive, Whole Foods and Interstate 70. The wildfire temporarily caused the closure of I-70 as crews worked to bring it under control.
Roughly 30 firefighters from Summit Fire and Red, White and Blue Fire Protection District responded to keep the fire from spreading to the highway, the Whole Foods, and a nearby neighborhood. No injuries or structural damage were reported.
"The fire burned approximately 6.3 acres of Town of Frisco open space, which are largely part of the Meadow Creek conservation easement," said town officials. "This 10.88-acre conservation easement was designated in 2020 and includes wetlands with primarily willows and an adjacent riparian area and floodplain buffer."
Cole believes this is a part of a larger trend, and said he was thankful the fire started later in the day, and the wind was blowing towards a natural fire break (I-70.) "We're in that population and we're in that area that we're seeing increased fire activity all the time," Cole said. "Despite having a basically average snowpack year, we're seeing fires pop up earlier and earlier every year."
