Federal Wildland Firefighter Faces Criminal Prosecution in Conservative Oregon County
Federal wildland firefighter, Ricky Snodgrass, is currently facing criminal prosecution in a conservative Oregon county for a controlled burn that spread onto private land. The trial has been delayed as Snodgrass’s attorneys attempt to move the case to federal court, where the charges may potentially be dropped.
The arrest and indictment of Snodgrass occurred after nearby landowners caused trouble, leading to the fire spreading onto private land. Sheriff McKinley arrested Snodgrass for reckless burning, a move that drew criticism from the federal workers’ union and a former Forest Service employee. Despite this, county leaders have defended the arrest, citing the damage caused to private property.
The setting of the arrest in eastern Oregon highlights a long-standing mistrust of the federal government in the rural West, stemming back to the public lands logging shutdown in the early 1990s. However, relations between Grant County and federal land managers have improved since the 2016 armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
The arrest of Snodgrass has caused concern among federal workers regarding a potential chilling effect on the vital wildfire prevention program, especially after a recent incident in New Mexico. The decision on Snodgrass’s case is likely months away as legal proceedings continue. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story on Celebrity Beauty Buzz.
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