$3 for 3 months. Save 90%.
$3 for 3 months. Save 90%.

Punish him

St. George Spectrum & Daily News

It is sickening to read that the irresponsible man, Robert Lyman, who started a forest fire that consumed 71,000 acres and cost more than $40 million to bring under control is being charged with so little.

Ignorance and lack of respect for the law has never been an acceptable defense for committing a crime. A city person visiting our beautiful mountain and starting a fire might plead lack of knowledge of how dry and dangerous the condition of the forest was and argue they didn't see the sign prohibiting starting a fire. They would still be held accountable.

Related:The mounting cost of the Brian Head Fire

More:Brian Head Fire: From containment to restoration

However, when a person who lives on the mountain disregards the law, knowing the forest was dangerously dry and needed only a spark to start a raging fire, he should be held accountable for the maximum legal recourse. This person not only caused a forest to be blackened, which will take 60-80 years to recover, but took away the homes of 13 residents and the memories of untold others.

What was his mindset when he fired up the flamethrower and started burning? I don't know. However, is it possible his disregard for burning under the conditions he had to be aware of was not an accident?

Corbitte Henry

Duck Creek Village