An Alaska fishing guide company has reached a settlement of $900,000 with the U.S. government to resolve a lawsuit accusing one of its guides of starting a wildfire in 2019, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office for Alaska. The lawsuit alleged that Joshua McDonald, a guide for Groves Salmon Charters, ignited a campfire on July 8, 2019, at a campground near Copper Center, which later resulted in a significant forest fire along the Klutina River. The government claimed that McDonald started the fire despite being aware of the high fire danger at the time, and investigators determined that he failed to properly extinguish the campfire. The settlement amount will help cover the expenses incurred by state and federal firefighters in extinguishing the wildfire, which burned over a quarter-square-mile. The U.S. Attorney for Alaska, S. Lane Tucker, emphasized the importance of holding individuals accountable for the costs of fires they cause, particularly as fire seasons become longer and fire behavior more extreme. The settlement report also mentioned the possibility of other users being present at the site after McDonald, highlighting the complexities of the case.
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Alaska charter company fined $900,000 for wildfire caused by guide’s negligence in campfire extinguishment.
