Man Who Started Three Wildfires In 2018 Because He Ran Out Of Supplies, Sentenced Monday

A man charged with starting three separate forest fires in Northern Arizona in 2018, including the Sycamore Fire, has been sentenced after he was found guilty of seven misdemeanors. Phillip Powers said when he was rescued, he had gotten lost during an 18-mile hike in the Coconino and Prescott national forests. He told officials he didn’t have enough water and started the fire to signal for help. The Sycamore Fire was one of the three he started. The fire burned 230 acres northwest of Sedona. A federal judge said Powers wasn’t prepared and was reckless by not bringing enough water, food or a GPS. He faces three-and-a-half years in prison.