The Hartley fire consumed about 28 acres before Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Eagle, Middleton/Star, and Meridian fire departments we were able to suppress the fire.
Fire crews were sent to the BLM land north of Hartley Road in Eagle around 9 p.m. Saturday. It took until after midnight for the fire crews to contain the blaze. No structures were lost.
Ada County Sheriff’s deputies developed evidence a group of teenage boys were riding in an SUV in the BLM land just before the fire started when one of the boys announced he had a mortar-style firework that he wanted to light off.
The other boys told him not to, because it might start a fire in the area. Initial information indicates the boy lit off the firework a short time later, when the SUV was parked, which did ignite the brush nearby.
The boys tried to put the fire out but were unsuccessful. They then drove away. One of the boys called 911 to report what happened.
Before deputies could meet them, the boy who lit the firework got out of the SUV and ran away.
Deputies found the boy a short time later by a canal in the area, took him into custody, and then took him to the Ada County Juvenile Detention Center.
They boy’s case is pending in Ada County Juvenile Court.