Man Arrested In Connection With Wildfire That Killed Hundreds Of Cattle

HAXTUN, Colo. (CBS4) — A man has been arrested in connection with a fire in Logan and Phillips Counties that claimed the lives of hundreds of cattle along with other livestock.

The grass fire that started on March 6 also destroyed four homes. The blaze was contained the first night but it took about two days to fully extinguish the fire.

Investigators quickly determined that the fire was caused by reckless human action and later identified Patrick Svoboda as the man who was welding on a metal feed trough in a dry cornfield on an extremely windy day.

That day there was also a Red Flag Warning in effect for the area which indicated there was a high fire danger.

The Logan County Sheriff's Office obtained a warrant for Svoboda, 39, on April 19 on charges of fourth-degree arson and reckless endangerment. Svoboda was later booked into the Logan County Jail without incident.

No humans were injured in the fire.

The fire started in Logan County and quickly spread west to Phillips County ahead of gusty winds.

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