Eastern Oregon Ranchers Accused Of Setting Fires
by Glenn Vaagen, MyCentralOregon.com, June 22, 2010 [here]
BEND, OR — A pair of Harney County ranchers have been accused of setting fires that have caused damage to more than 45,000 acres of public rangeland since the 1980s.
Federal prosecutors said Dwight Hammond Jr., 68, and his son Steven Hammond, 41, both of Diamond, were also indicted on charges of threatening to assault firefighters by setting fires near them. The federal grand jury indictment said the Hammonds have publicly complained the U.S. Bureau of Land Management “takes too long” to complete required environmental studies before doing controlled rangeland burning. The indictment alleges the two men also set off uncontrolled fires under cover of naturally occurring dry lightning storms in the Steens Mountain area.
An arraignment has been set for June 28th in U.S. District Court in Eugene.