Wildfire sparked by man trying to cremate pet

A 63-year-old man who was trying to put his dog to rest is facing charges for allegedly sparking a massive wildfire that has been burning for nearly two months.

The Bucktail Fire started on August 1 near Nucla, Colorado, about 350 miles west of Denver. The blaze destroyed more than 7,200 acres, over 11 square miles, of private and national forest land and one home before it was brought under control.

As of September 27, the fire was still burning and is 83% contained.

While the cause of the incident was initially listed as unknown, Brent Garber is now accused of arson and trespassing after investigators said he sparked the blaze.

Garber, who was living in a camper nearby, was initially spotted driving an ATV away from the fire just minutes after it started, The Denver Post reported. Investigators later found "the partially burned body of a dog and a large rock with the words 'Oct. 2017 July 2024, Rocket Dog, Rest in Peace Buddy' etched on it with a bone glued below the words," according to the report. Garber's dog had recently been euthanized, police noted.

A witness told investigators that Garber claimed "he accidentally started the fire after a spray can he threw in blew out of the pit and lit a tree on fire," The Post reported.

The fire is burning on mostly remote land and has caused an estimated $300,000 in damages. No injuries have been reported.

Garber is charged with two counts of arson and one count of second-degree trespassing, both felony charges.