Trees near Colorado national forest doused in gas, set on fire in attempt to start wildfire, sheriff says

Katie Langford, The Denver Post on Jun 17, 2026

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DENVER — U.S. Forest Service crews on Sunday found multiple trees that someone doused with accelerant and set on fire near the Pike-San Isabel National Forest in an attempt to start a wildfire in the central Colorado mountains, law enforcement officials said.

Fire crews were on a routine patrol when they found multiple burned trees on unmarked private property that is “heavily bordered” by national forest west of Clear Creek Reservoir, the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office said on Wednesday.

The reservoir is about halfway between Leadville and Buena Vista, just off of U.S. 24.

The fire was no longer active when the forest service crews found it, and they contacted Chaffee County fire and police about the suspected arson. Sheriff’s office investigators determined that someone used an accelerant, likely gasoline, on and near two trees. A third tree that was burned had a clear plastic beverage container filled with accelerant hanging from a limb.

“Fortunately, the fire had burned itself out before reaching the bottle of accelerant,” sheriff’s officials wrote on social media.

Detectives are working with other law enforcement agencies to identify a suspect, the sheriff’s office said. Anyone with information about the case can call the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office communications center at 719-539-2596 and ask to speak with a detective.

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