Man’s attempt to cremate his dog starts wildfire

NUCLA, Colo. (WKRC) – A man's attempt to cremate his dog was found to be what sparked a wildfire.

Wildfire investigators discovered the partially burned remains of a dog and concluded that an attempt to cremate a pet was what sparked a wildfire in western Colorado in August, according to Associated Press.

Law enforcement arrested the man who tried to cremate his dog and he was charged with arson and trespassing, according to AP. The wildfire was estimated to have caused about $200,000 in damages and burned about 11 square miles, according to The Denver Post.

The dog, Rocket, had died because it was ordered by a Colorado court to be euthanized after it got in a fight with another dog, according to AP.

According to Montrose Daily Press, the dog's cremation got out of control when a spray can the owner threw into the blaze blew and lit a tree on fire. Law enforcement saw the man driving an ATV away from the blaze minutes after the fire was reported.

At the site of the fire, etched on a large rock above the dog's remains, were written dates and “Rocket Dog, Rest in Peace Buddy,” according to AP.