Huge wildfire was started by man trying to cremate his dog, investigators say

Authorities discovered the partially burned remains of a dog called Rocket near the site

Dog Cremation Wildfire

Investigators looking for the cause of a huge blaze in western Colorado last month say they believe the fire started when a man tried to cremate his pet dog that had been euthanized.

Authorities discovered the partially burned remains of a dog called Rocket — leading to the conclusion that a man's attempted cremation of his pet sparked a fire that damaged private property including a cabin.

At the site, etched on a large rock above Rocket’s remains, was written dates and “Rocket Dog, Rest in Peace Buddy,” according to an arrest affidavit. A bone was glued below the epitaph.

Law enforcement arrested the man earlier this month and he is now charged with arson and trespassing, court documents show.

Authorities say the cremation ceremony started the fire on August 1 that's estimated to have caused about $200,000 in damages and burned about 11 square miles (28 square kilometers), the Denver Post reported. The burn is now largely contained.

This Aug. 1, 2024 photo provided by the Telluride Fire Protection District shows the Bucktail Fire in western Colorado

His dog, named Rocket, had been in a fight with another dog and was euthanized under court in Nucla, a town on Colorado’s western border with Utah, according to the arrest affidavit.

The suspect lived in a camper near where the fire started, and his pet's cremation got out of control when a spray can he threw into the blaze blew and lit a tree on fire, according to court records. Minutes after the fire was reported, law enforcement witnessed the man driving an ATV away from the blaze. It was first reported by the Montrose Daily Press.

The Alexander Mountain Fire burning near Loveland, about an hour’s drive north of Denver, was one of several conflagrations that started up late last month and threatened urban areas north and south of the state’s capitol city.

Last month U.S. Forest Service investigators, working alongside the local sheriff’s office, did not provide more information on whether they believe the Alexander Mountain Fire was started intentionally or if there is a suspect. The Larimer County Assessor released a report finding that 27 homes were destroyed, along with 21 outbuildings, and another four homes were damaged.