On November 24, 2006, rangers responded to a 911 report of a wildfire in the park west of the community of Gilbert in the Middle Buffalo District. Rangers and volunteer firefighters from Gilbert VFD found a wildfire burning near Back of Beyond Cave and contained it with the aid of park fire personnel before it crossed the park boundary and burned toward nearby private homes. The community of Gilbert has been identified as an at-risk community for wildfire and is a close partner in fire suppression and management activities with the National Park Service. Volunteers reported hearing gunfire in the immediate area. Rangers searched the area and provided direct protection to firefighters, but were not able to locate a source of the gunfire. After a cause and determination and intense week-long investigation, rangers identified two male suspects who subsequently confessed to setting the fire along with four other fires the previous evening and morning. Each was charged with hunting and closure violations under 36 CFR and with leaving a fire unattended and unextinguished under 18 USC 1856. Both pled guilty to the CFR violations; one man was acquitted of the fire-related charge, but the second pled guilty and was ordered to pay the NPS $4,235.56, required to serve five years’ probation, and banned from the park for two years. The judge also ordered him to pay Gilbert VFD $574.52 in restitution. During the sentencing, the judge noted the severity of this issue and even compared it with the fires in southern California. The local community, park staff, and US Attorney's Office were instrumental in the success of this prosecution. This represented one of 39 arson fires investigated in the park in 2006.
