Teen who started $40M Columbia Gorge fire to return to court

A Vancouver teenager charged in juvenile court with starting an explosive wildfire in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge by tossing a lit firecracker into the woods is set to return to court Thursday.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports a hearing will be held to determine the details of his restitution.

The teen pleaded guilty in February to eight counts of reckless burning of public and private property and other charges. District Judge John Olson sentenced the teen to more than 2 ½ months of community service and five years of probation.

The September blaze grew to 75 square miles (194 square kilometers) and forced evacuations, caused the extended shutdown of a major interstate highway and sent ash raining down on Portland for days.

The fire and its aftermath have cost nearly $40 million and that figure could still rise.

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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com