Two Arrested, Charged in Feb. 24 Lascar Wildfire in Huerfano County

Collin Bates and Jana Dunn were taken into custody by the Huerfano County Sheriff’s Office on March 3 in connection with the Lascar Fire, which burned about 50 acres near County Road 651 in the Spanish Peaks area of Huerfano County. Seconews reported HCSO obtained arrest warrants during its criminal investigation and charged both with firing woods or prairie, criminal mischief, second- and fourth-degree arson, and third-degree trespass.

Seconews provided statutory citations and felony levels tied to the arrests: CRS 18-13-109 for firing woods or prairie, listed as a felony six; CRS 18-4-501 for criminal mischief, CRS 18-4-103 for second-degree arson and CRS 18-4-105 for fourth-degree arson, each listed as felony five; and CRS 18-4-504 for third-degree trespass, described as a petty offense. KKTV described the firing woods or prairie charge as defined by prosecutors as knowingly or recklessly starting a fire.

The Lascar Fire ignited in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 24, with reported start times ranging from about 2:47 a.m. to just before 3 a.m., and occurred while Huerfano County was under a Red Flag warning, according to local reporting. Multiple outlets and incident reports say crews deemed the blaze under control by about 5 a.m. and that firefighters fully extinguished remaining hot spots later that afternoon, around 2 p.m. First responders remained on scene to monitor for flare-ups.

Response to the fire included several local agencies named by Chronicle-News: Huerfano County Sheriff’s Office, La Veta Fire, Gardner Fire, Huerfano County Fire Department, Rye Fire, and the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office. The Colorado Springs Gazette and other reports said firefighters from five departments and additional emergency agencies spent nearly 12 hours combating the fire. The sheriff’s office praised the mutual aid, writing on social media, "Without their hard work, this fire could have been much worse."

Officials have not detailed how Bates and Dunn allegedly set the blaze; the Gazette noted the sheriff’s office did not clarify how the suspects set the fire or how they were responsible. Seconews reiterated the status of the inquiry: "This is still an active investigation," and added the standard legal disclaimer, "All Parties Considered Innocent Until Proven Guilty in a Court of Law." Nexstar/FOX21 reporting via Yahoo indicated both defendants were due in Huerfano County Court on March 12.

The arrests mark a criminal-development phase after emergency responders contained a pre-dawn wildfire during a high-risk Red Flag period; the Huerfano County Sheriff’s Office and court records remain the primary sources reporters and community members should consult for updates as the investigation and prosecution move forward.