Interesting read here
http://www.tsln.com/news/18837869-113/where-theres-smoke
Notes:
- The Bureau of land management is not liable for damages done to private lands for fires started on public land.
- Hammonds are currently paying 400k for fire fighting costs from the fires
- The Hammonds are the last remaining private land owner in a 170,000 acre wilderness. The rest of the land owners were bought out.
- As part of the Hammonds plea agreement the BLM obtained the first right of refusal should the family have to sell their private land.
- A neighboring rancher who sold their land said the BLM was relentless in its pursuit of their property.