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CNN Live Today

Reports of Arrest for Chediski Fire Are False

Aired June 26, 2002 - 14:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now, something else we'd like to clear up too. We were reporting that an arrest was made -- someone was arrested for starting the Rodeo and Chediski fire. We want to make a correction. Jim Paxon from the Forest Service just spoke to us. Let's bring that sound to you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM PAXON, FOREST SERVICE: We had a mix-up right here. We had a person wandering around Show Low and Pinetop Lakeside that didn't have any business being there. The arrest was that individual, here in Pinetop Lakeside -- in Show Low. I'm sorry.

And so that we can get the story straight, that arrest is not for the Rodeo fire.

I've got Sgt. Jeff Hanson (ph), who's the community relations officer, to tell you about that arrest, and then John Feldman (ph) is going to speak for the BIE.

SGT. JEFF HANSON, COMMUNITY RELATIONS: We really want to apologize about the misunderstanding there. The information that we had was that we were going to talk about the person that was arrested in Show Low, and we wanted to make sure that it was clear that we had information last night, someone was out walking around, and ran from officers.

And due to the help of National Guard, that was out helping us, our officers, and some Maricopa County deputies, the person was found and was cited under the violation of the order of evacuation.

That is what the arrest was for. There was no looting. Nothing else was involved with it. So we just wanted to clear that up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: All right, let's bring our Bill Delaney back in. He's live in Show Low.

Bill, obviously, they are eager to find the cause of this fire.

DELANEY: You know, Kyra, we're also always eager to put things on the air as quickly as possible. Jim Paxon has been such a magnificent spokesperson for the National Forest Service here, eloquent almost to the point of lyricism at times. We've come to trust him enormously. So when he came out and said that just, well, 20 minutes ago or so, we went right on the air with it.

It appears there was a crossed wire, a pretty major one.

You know, it was eight days ago, Kyra, that on the White Mountain Apache Reservation this fire started and law enforcement officials are absolutely convinced that someone started it, but not the person that was picked up here in Show Low.

Back to you -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Bill Delaney, thank you so much for the clarification. Appreciate it.

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