YORBA LINDA : Boy’s Parents Will Be Asked to Pay for Fire

Prosecutors have filed a criminal misdemeanor charge against a 15-year-old Yorba Linda boy whose toy rocket sparked the Chino Hills brush fire, and fire officials said Friday they will seek to have the boy’s parents cover the costs of fighting the massive blaze.

The July 12 wildfire scorched more than 7,000 acres, injured four inmate firefighters and, though no buildings were damaged, cost more than $750,000 to extinguish, state and county officials said Friday.

The 15-year-old has not been identified because of his age, and his parents could not be reached for comment Friday. The boy was charged on Wednesday with one misdemeanor count of recklessly setting a fire, Orange County Deputy Dist. Atty. David Hickey said.

Hickey said he expects a preliminary hearing on the case in mid-September.

The boy told fire officials that his model rocket crashed into a grassy area and exploded into flames. He suffered minor burns trying to stamp out the blaze, then ran to a telephone to call 911.

His cooperation with authorities will likely lessen penalties he would face if convicted and might help lower the bill to his parents, Orange County Fire Department Capt. Dan Young said Friday.

“He acted pretty darn responsibly for a 15-year-old,” Young said. “He didn’t run and hide. That will all be considered.”

It is routine policy for the department to attempt to recover the costs associated with any fire, traffic collision or hazardous-material accident where someone is found to be negligent, Young said.

“We have that responsibility to the taxpayer--to put the cost and the blame where it belongs,” he said.

When criminal charges are filed, the district attorney usually includes a request for recovery of Fire Department costs as part of his recommendation for sentencing. If no charges are filed, then fire officials typically seek to recover the costs through civil litigation, Young said. He said that even if the 15-year-old is acquitted of criminal wrongdoing, the Orange County Fire Deparment will file a civil suit against his parents seeking recovery of the county’s $47,000 share of costs.

In addition, the state Department of Forestry will probably file a civil suit against the parents seeking the $750,000 or more it spent extinguishing the blaze, said Keith Metcalfe, deputy chief of fire prevention enforcement.