He says he didn't do it.
The wildfire, which was determined to be the second largest in New Jersey in the past 20 years, consumed more than 15,000 acres of the Pine Barrens.
www.usatoday.com
I mean, that's not exactly what he said--he says that he partly extinguished the fire, that many other people were there, and that they should have finished the job of putting it out. But he doesn't deny starting the fire, which is what constitutes the crime of arson. Maybe those are mitigating factors during sentencing, or other people should be charged as accessories, but it doesn't deflect the charge.
Looking at the
relevant statute, setting a fire and "placing another person in danger of death or bodily injury", "placing a building or structure of another in danger of damage or destruction", "placing a forest in danger of damage or destruction" are all grounds for charges of arson in this case. Purposely starting a fire and "thereby recklessly" placing, etc. is arson; it becomes aggravated arson if the fire was set with the purpose of endangering another person, destroying a building, destroying or damaging a forest, etc. (It also defines the crime of "Failure to control or report dangerous fire", but it's not clear to me that the a spectator could be charged with that; I don't know if their presence constitutes "assent" in the criterion that "The fire was started, albeit lawfully, by him or with his assent, or on property in his custody or control.")
The charge of aggravated arson seems like it would be harder to prove, but if the evidence is as stated (text messages & Snapchats, security footage of his truck at the recycling center where the pallets were taken), it would be very difficult to escape the arson charge.
