Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Arizona Firefighter in Court for Causing Blaze

Aired July 01, 2002 - 09:32   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: On to Arizona now, where a part-time firefighter was in court Sunday, where he was charged with starting two fires, including the one that has grown into the largest in the state's history. The Rodeo-Chediski fire, as it is now known, has burned nearly a half million acres and forced the evacuation of thousands.

David Mattingly joins us now from Pinedale, Arizona with more. Good morning.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula. News of the arrest today racing across Arizona almost as fast as that devastating wildfire that blackened more than 450,000 acres and destroyed more than 400 homes. The fact that the person accused is a part-time firefighter today stirring emotions even more deeply.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTINGLY (voice-over): 29-year-old Leonard Gregg, before a federal magistrate, accused of deliberately setting fires on Apache reservation land in northern Arizona, in hopes of getting some part- time work as a firefighter. The Rodeo fire, it is called, eventually led to the biggest and costliest wildfire in Arizona's state history.

PAUL CHARLTON, U.S. ATTORNEY: The maximum penalties and charges for these offenses are five years incarceration and $250,000 fine for each charge, and restitution as owing for all losses.

MATTINGLY: According to federal officials, Gregg was trained to fight forest fires and had been hired to do so in the past by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a job that pays from $10 to $20 an hour. Gregg lives in the reservation town of Cibecue, ground zero for what firefighters have come to call a monster.

ROY HALL, INCIDENT TEAM: It endangers the lives not only of folks that live near the woods, but endangers the lives of our firefighters. That's the thing that firefighters will take very personally.

MATTINGLY: Emotions in Arizona similar to those in Colorado, where a Forest Service employee is blamed for the devastating Hayman fire. Disbelief, anger and embarrassment for firefighters of all ethnic groups. WILLIE BEGAY, FIREFIGHTER, BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS: All those firefighters who are out there that fight fires diligently, and they fight to, you know, put the fire out.

MATTINGLY: Days after being set, the Rodeo fire merged with the Chediski fire, which started as a signal for help by an injured hiker. That investigation is ongoing.

Together, the cost of destruction is staggering. Hundreds of millions in lost Apache timber alone. Millions more from hundreds of damaged and destroyed homes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MATTINGLY: And the scope of that damage now sinking in this morning as people return home. Thousands of people returned home over the weekend. Hundreds of them came home to scenes just like this -- Paula.

ZAHN: Wow. Did they have any idea before they came back that that's what they would be looking at?

MATTINGLY: People were keeping very close tabs on what was happening in their area. Hotlines were set up so that they could call in and find out if their house was still standing. There were no surprises. People came home knowing that their house was either standing or destroyed. But still, the people who saw their houses destroyed, when they first saw them, it was still a terribly emotional moment. Actually, as it was for people who saw their homes standing. In fact, in Show Low, when people returned, that was one of the big success stories, everybody's home was just fine. People still cried when they came home to see that their house was still standing.

ZAHN: Oh, it is devastating to see that picture behind you. Are you aware if the homeowners were able to get anything out of that house before they had to evacuate?

MATTINGLY: The houses in this area in Pinedale were on the front lines very early on in the fire, and some people did not make it out with very much. Others had a little more warning, some people more experienced, were able to pack some bags, but by and large, people were not able to take furniture, a lot of them did not take important belongings. There are losses that everyone is having to deal with.

ZAHN: And are you aware if any of these people had insurance?

MATTINGLY: Some people had insurance, I'm sure some people did not. The same with any disaster, I suppose. There are people on both sides dealing with those kinds of losses.

ZAHN: Oh, boy. Unfortunately a scene, I guess, that is going to be probably repeated again. David Mattingly, thank you very much for that update. Appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com