Officials seek suspects in Black Forest arsons
Will Rasmussen
El Paso County investigators are pursuing leads but have no suspects in the Black Forest arsons.
The investigation began after a fire was set June 9 at South Forest Drive and Old Ranch Road. Since then, 13 suspicious fires over three consecutive weekends have been set within a 3-mile area in Black Forest.
Investigators said the fires do not appear to be linked to 15 arsons along Route 285 in Jefferson County or four fires set in Cascade.
“There is no evidence whatsoever to show that the arsons in Jefferson County are connected with Black Forest or Cascade,” said Sgt. Jim Groth of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
Chris Nelson, an arson investigator with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, said the fires in Black Forest and Jefferson County appear to be coincidental. But he is sharing evidence with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
Nelson said he does not have any suspects in the Jefferson County fires, the last two of which occurred June 11.
Based on the report of one witness, Nelson said he thinks the fires are the work of one arsonist.
All the fires in Jefferson County were set during the day near the highway, allowing passersby to extinguish them before they got out of control.
El Paso County officials think one arsonist set four fires in May in Cascade.
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