Ala.: Sumter County Wildfire Apparent Arson
A wildfire apparently intentionally set scorched more than 700 acres in a remote area of Sumter County and sent heavy smoke over Alabama Highway 17, forcing an overnight traffic detour.
Firefighters battled the flames for several hours after the fire was first reported at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Alabama Forestry Commission spokeswoman Coleen Vansant said.
Investigators determined that several small fires had been set in the area between York and the Boyd community along the highway, which reopened at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Vansant said that the fires might have been set as early as Sunday night.
No one was injured. There were no structures on the land.
Around 500 acres of the burned property is owned by Westervelt Co., the former Gulf States Paper Corp., said spokesman Robby Johnson.
Setting a wildfire is a Class C felony.
Information from: The Tuscaloosa News,
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com
- Tesla Sued Over Crash That Trapped, Killed Massachusetts Driver
- LA County Told to Pause $4B in Abuse Payouts as DA Probes Fraud Claims
- Charges Dropped Against ‘Poster Boy’ Contractor Accused of Insurance Fraud
- IIHS Rolled out A New Whiplash Prevention Test
- Nationwide Spending $100M on AI to Beef up Claims Efficiency, Customer Experience
- Adjusters Launch ‘CarFax for Insurance Claims’ to Vet Carriers’ Damage Estimates
- Canceled FEMA Review Council Vote Leaves Flood Insurance Reforms in Limbo
- Billionaire NFL Owner Suing Over Billboards Near His SoFi Stadium