State Forestry officials believe the fire at Natural Bridge State Resort Park was set by an arsonist. That’s according to Steve Kull, a senior environmental scientist consultant with the Division of Forestry and a former firefighter. He said the arson determination was a process of elimination.
“No campfire that escaped, there were no electrical sparks or anything that would cause the fire there was. And this was at the point what we determined the point of ignition was there wasn't any weather in the area at the time that would have led to any kind of lightning strikes that there are no trees that are burning, that would indicate that they were hit by lightning.”
Last week, there were as many as 100 state and federal firefighters battling the blaze, which was declared out Tuesday. Kull said the point of origin is believed to be near the top of the skylift that firefighters used to get to the upper areas of the fire.
“It’s suspected that someone intentionally set it and left the area, course now we need to do some work or whatever, try and find someone who maybe saw someone in the area or maybe had a reason to suspect maybe that person might have done that and that kind of stuff.”
Kull said anyone with knowledge of the cause of the fire should call their local law enforcement agency.
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