Oregon Man Arrested For Starting A Wildfire Near Blue Ridge

A man has been arrested for starting a wildfire in the Blue Ridge area. Coconino County Sheriff’s deputies were called to Highway 87 near the Highway 260 junction last Friday for a report of a wildfire. Witnesses told deputies they were driving along the highway and saw the fire, stopped and attempted to extinguish the flames. During the process, a witness told a deputy a suspicious person was seen near the fire. Shortly after a DPS state trooper arrived and detained the man and identified him as 29-year-old Adam Gilliam from Oregon. During the interview, Gilliam admitted to starting the fire with a lighter. Fire crews put out the fire, which ended up being about 30 feet in diameter. Gilliam was arrested and booked into the Coconino County Jail for illegal burning of wildland and refusing to provide a truthful name.