Man suspected of sparking Alexander Mountain Fireplace needed to be ‘the hero’

LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — The person accused of sparking the practically 10,000-acre Alexander Mountain Fireplace in Larimer County acted as a “self-proclaimed fireplace supervisor” and needed to be seen as “the hero,” in keeping with courtroom paperwork obtained by Denver7 Friday.

The hearth sparked on July 29 close to Drake north of Freeway 34 and burned 9,668 acres over about three weeks. On Aug. 9, the U.S. Forest Service confirmed that the fireplace was human-caused, however no different specifics have been obtainable on the time. Officers had beforehand referenced indicators of human exercise close to the place the fireplace apparently began.

Greater than 5,000 individuals evacuated, however no accidents have been reported. Nonetheless, the fireplace destroyed about 29 properties and 21 outbuildings and broken 4 extra properties. The firefight price an estimated $11 million, whereas the fireplace injury was estimated to be greater than $30 million, in keeping with courtroom paperwork.

Throughout a press convention on Sept. 11, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Workplace and the U.S. Forest Service recognized Jason Alexander Passion, 49, of Loveland as a suspect within the fireplace. He faces costs of first-degree arson, two counts of impersonating a peace officer, felony menacing, false imprisonment and impersonating a public servant. He was taken into custody on Sept. 10 and issued a $450,000 money/surety bond.

Passion was an worker on the Sylvan Dale Visitor Ranch — a family-owned, 3,200-acre property within the foothills west of Loveland — till he was recognized as a suspect throughout the course of the investigation, mentioned Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen throughout the press convention. The ranch then terminated his employment.

Watch the complete press convention beneath:

Full press convention: Arrest in Alexander Mountain Fireplace investigation

In line with courtroom paperwork, investigators decided that the fireplace originated from a three-feet by three-feet makeshift rock fireplace pit situated 1.4 miles away from a residence adjoining to the Sylvan Dale Visitor Ranch. There have been three wooden logs — two to the west and one to the south — situated close to the fireplace pit. Investigators additionally discovered foil lids for yogurt containers, containers of yogurt and a sardine can contained in the pit, courtroom paperwork state.

The affidavit says the fireplace burned for “a time frame” earlier than stories began coming into the sheriff’s workplace.

Investigators decided that somebody tried to “suppress or extinguish fireplace within the origin space.” They noticed “particles, foliage and grass that was pulled away from timber to stop these timber from burning,” in keeping with courtroom paperwork. The affidavit says there have been additionally recent cuts made to timber utilizing a chainsaw.

Authorities observed an individual’s boot footprints that have been “haphazardly” scattered all through the origin space. Investigators decided that the footprints belonged to a person’s dimension 12 boot with Vibram soles.

In the course of the investigation, authorities interviewed a number of workers of the Sylvan Dale Visitor Ranch. Many fingered Passion as a possible suspect, in keeping with courtroom paperwork. He reportedly was the “self-proclaimed fireplace supervisor” of the ranch and lived at a house near the origin of the fireplace.

The affidavit says Passion was disciplined by the ranch house owners on July 23 for “conducting unauthorized armed (firearm) legislation enforcement duties on the property, by carrying a uniform with legislation enforcement “Ranger” insignia, and working a number of automobiles with a “Ranger” star on the door.” He allegedly had a historical past of “aggressively” confronting individuals about trespassing.

Passion reportedly advised the ranch house owners that he was a firefighter in Wyoming and allegedly mentioned he traveled to the state on his off days to assist battle fires. The affidavit says Passion owned a marked fireplace division automobile — a white Ford pickup truck with emergency lights and tools. The truck had “Twin Butte Fireplace Safety” in blue lettering on the doorways, in addition to “Brush-236” and “Fireplace.”

Affidavit: Man suspected of sparking Alexander Mountain Fireplace needed to be seen as ‘the hero’

Passion allegedly advised the ranch supervisor that he was going to be in Douglas, Wyoming, on July 29 — the day the fireplace began. Nonetheless, the affidavit says the supervisor noticed Passion on the ranch lower than 90 minutes after the preliminary reported begin of the fireplace. He was allegedly with one other unknown individual carrying “firefighting Nome uniforms.” The affidavit explains that Nomex is a “fireplace retardant/ resistant material generally utilized by skilled firefighters to guard them from catching fireplace.”

Employees on the ranch advised the supervisor they heard firearms being fired close to Alexander Mountain earlier than the fireplace sparked, in keeping with the affidavit.

Authorities executed a search warrant at Passion’s house on Aug. 7. In line with the affidavit, deputies seized a number of objects throughout the search, together with:

• A United States Fireplace Service t-shirt
• 4 Montrose Wildland Fireplace shirts
• A United States Forest Service – Arapahoe Roosevelt uniform jacket
• A Colorado Wildland Fireplace Administration sweatshirt
• 4 United States Forest Service t-shirts
• 5 pairs of assorted boots with Vibram soles
• One pair of firefighter bunker gear pants
• 4 black Twin Butte Fireplace Safety and Wildland Administration t-shirts
• 5 blue Twin Butte Fireplace Safety and Wildland Administration t-shirts with badges on them
• Two fireplace helmets — one from the U.S. Forest Service and the opposite from Twin Butte Fireplace Safety and Wildland Administration
• One yellow Nomex fire-resistant go well with belonging to the US Forest Service
• One inexperienced marmot US Forest Service Fireplace Service jacket
• One grey Twin Butte Fireplace Safety jacket
• One black Velocity System uniform shirt with “Chief Passion” on it
• One 5.11 pull-over sweatshirt with “Chief Passion” printed on it
• 5 “varied” fireplace helmets
• 5 “varied” Nomex fireplace uniform jackets
• One Montrose Hell Fighters identification
• A map of Cedar Creek Highway
• An Alexander Mountain Fireplace incident plan
• A “wildfire trigger and origin willpower e book”
• A State of Wyoming magnet
• A number of fireplace division pack-set radios
• Pictures of “legislation enforcement fashion tools to incorporate tactical vests, holsters, patches and weapons”
• “Gadgets that may begin fires,” which included lighters, matches, firecrackers and flares

The identical day his house was searched, Passion consented to an interview. He advised investigators he was not in Colorado when the fireplace began and was working as a firefighter in Manville, Wyoming, on July 28 and July 29, in keeping with the affidavit. Nonetheless, the courtroom doc says Passion was in Manville engaged on a truck that had damaged down.
In line with the affidavit, a buddy of Passion’s drove him to Manville on July 28, which is about 3.5 hours north of Loveland. Investigators obtained surveillance video reportedly exhibiting Passion at a Napa Auto Components Retailer in Lusk, Wyoming, on July 29. He was seen leaving the shop simply earlier than 8 a.m., in keeping with courtroom paperwork.

Investigators requested Passion to take a polygraph examination. The courtroom doc says Passion was requested if he began the Alexander Mountain Fireplace, and he mentioned no. The polygraph examiner reported that Passion failed the examination and was untruthful throughout that query, in keeping with the affidavit.

The affidavit references an interview with a supervisor of the Coronary heart-J Middle, a nonprofit that helps individuals join with nature. The Coronary heart-J Middle has operated from the Sylvan Dale Visitor Ranch for the previous decade, and the household who owns the ranch plans to in the future switch the ranch to the nonprofit’s administration.

The supervisor advised investigators they have been “involved that Passion created this incident to insert himself because the hero within the eyes of employees after his latest disciplinary work historical past,” in keeping with the affidavit. The supervisor mentioned the property house owners had compiled a “prolonged checklist of infractions” reportedly dedicated by Passion over the previous two years. The checklist included allegations of bullying and harassment, in addition to incidents involving a firearm, courtroom paperwork state.

The supervisor recalled that one of many ranch house owners requested Passion to be the “ranch safety officer” in the summertime of 2022. Passion allegedly started carrying a uniform and driving a “personally owned automobile with indicators of “Sylvan Dale Ranger” with emergency lights outfitted.” He additionally started conducting visitors stops utilizing his private automobile, in keeping with the supervisor.

The ranch house owners demoted Passion from his safety duties in July 2024, the affidavit states. After he was demoted, Passion reportedly advised fellow employees members that he felt “persecuted and ganged up on.”

Passion was additionally allegedly in opposition to the ranch being transferred to the Coronary heart-J Middle. He reportedly “expressed anger, hatred, and worry of the plans for the land to go to the Coronary heart-J Middle.” The affidavit says Passion advised one other worker, “Issues can be higher if the Coronary heart-J Middle exploded.” About 1,240 acres of the Sylvan Dale Ranch that was to be donated to the nonprofit was burned within the Alexander Mountain Fireplace, in keeping with courtroom paperwork.

At one level, the Coronary heart-J Middle partnered with the Loveland Fireplace Rescue Authority to burn “slash piles” within the Cedar Park space. Passion was allegedly upset that he was “not included in these discussions being the self-proclaimed Fireplace Supervisor of the property.” Because of the interference, the nonprofit canceled its plans, and the piles weren’t burned, in keeping with the supervisor.

Because the Alexander Mountain Fireplace burned, Passion allegedly entered evacuated and restricted areas of the ranch and gave employees “updates as to the injury and the path of the fireplace’s travels.”

The affidavit discusses a gathering that was held on the fireplace incident command put up on July 30. Passion and a number of other Coronary heart-J Middle workers have been reportedly in attendance. Throughout that assembly, Passion mentioned he knew how the fireplace began and claimed it was from an unattended campfire on Alexander Mountain, in keeping with courtroom paperwork. Nonetheless, the affidavit says investigators didn’t decide the reason for the fireplace till Aug. 3.

Throughout their investigation, authorities talked with two brothers who traveled to Sylvan Dale Visitor Ranch to {photograph} huge horn sheep on March 23. One brother advised investigators they went to the ranch’s entrance workplace and spoke to workers, who gave them permission to be on the property.

In line with the affidavit, the 2 entered the property on the filth roads to the southwest facet of the property. They mistakenly ended up on a canal entry highway, which didn’t have signage and was not barricaded, the courtroom doc states.

The affidavit says the 2 bought out of their automobile and began to assemble their digicam tools after they noticed a white Chevrolet Tahoe with flashing lights “pace as much as them at a really fast pace.”

In line with the brothers, a person carrying a uniform “resembling a legislation enforcement officer” bought out of the automobile and pointed a handgun at them. He reportedly mentioned the brothers have been beneath arrest for trespassing. After a couple of moments, the person “modified his conduct, deescalated and provided to take them to a unique a part of the ranch the place they’d have a greater view of the sheep.” The brothers mentioned the person guided them to a unique portion of the ranch and “then joked with them, appearing as if he was issuing them a quotation.”

The brothers offered photos of the person, and investigators recognized him as Passion, in keeping with courtroom paperwork. Additionally they despatched photographs of the automobile, which had “decals much like the Larimer County Sheriff’s Workplace badge or the Larimer County Division of Pure Sources “Park Rangers” badge affixed to the doorways,” the affidavit states.

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Investigators additionally obtained a video that Passion had allegedly despatched from contained in the Alexander Mountain Fireplace space to a number of workers from the Coronary heart-J Middle and Sylvan Dale Visitor Ranch. Within the video, Passion is reportedly seen on the prime of Storm Mountain on the ranch, which was a restricted space on the time. He was allegedly carrying a wildland fireplace uniform and a helmet that had a Twin Buttes Fireplace Safety and Wildland Administration emblem.

Within the video, Passion allegedly mentioned he responded to the world “to battle the fireplace, and that the true firefighters have been staging outdoors the world.” The affidavit says Passion “appeared in his assertion to be upset that firefighters weren’t in that space preventing the fireplace.”

In line with the courtroom paperwork, investigators noticed a cabin constructing that was “very distant and roughly 1/2 mile from the closest entry level to the property and the residential space of Sylvan Dale Ranch” in addition to a yellow gasoline can within the video.

Authorities went to the cabin on Aug. 23 and noticed “what seemed to be drip can exercise” in addition to burn areas that indicated “somebody tried to begin a again burn or fireplace mitigation across the cabin,” in keeping with the affidavit. Somebody additionally allegedly used a chainsaw to chop bushes and shrubs away from the cabin.

The affidavit says a yellow can that contained a “reddish gasoline” was present in the identical spot that was seen within the video.

Investigators seemed into Passion’s declare that he was a firefighter in Wyoming. The affidavit explains individuals all in favour of changing into a wildland firefighter should attend coaching and acquire a “Purple Card.” Firefighters should then carry that card when working and current it when requested, in keeping with the courtroom doc.

The affidavit says Passion was not issued a Purple Card. Investigators additionally realized {that a} man “resembling Passion” had proven as much as fires in Natrona County, Wyoming, and labored with crews however left with out being paid for his work, in keeping with courtroom paperwork.

Three Wyoming counties — Natrona, Converse and Platte — didn’t have a file of Passion or his enterprise, Twin Buttes Fireplace Safety, in keeping with courtroom paperwork. The affidavit says the Wyoming State Forestry additionally didn’t have a file of Passion being a licensed firefighter or wildland firefighter.

Throughout their investigation, authorities dug into Passion’s felony historical past. Following his arrest, Denver7 Investigates obtained courtroom information from Riverside County, California, the place Passion had beforehand confronted felony costs. The information revealed Passion was arrested on July 4, 1999.

In line with the courtroom paperwork, Passion was arrested for not having “personal safety” patches. He was ultimately charged with manufacturing, importing, and promoting weapons, failing to hold legitimate safety ID, and carrying a baton with out registering it.

All costs have been dismissed attributable to a violation of the defendant’s rights to a speedy trial, in keeping with a spokesperson for the Riverside County District Lawyer’s Workplace.

Passion’s arrest affidavit lists his felony historical past as follows:

• April 1996: Arrested for carrying a loaded firearm in a public place in San Bernadino, California. A disposition was not listed.
• February 1997: Arrested for impersonating a public official in San Bernadino, California. He was discovered responsible and sentenced to jail time and probation.
• July 1997: Arrested for impersonating a public official in Rancho Cucamonga, California. He was convicted of false imprisonment and sentenced to jail time and 36 months of probation. He additionally obtained a high-quality.
• November 1997: Arrested for impersonating a public official and carrying a loaded firearm in a public place in San Bernadino, California
• July 1999: Arrested for carrying a loaded firearm in a public place in Lakewood, California
• July 1999: Arrested for carrying an improper uniform and failing to correctly establish whereas working as a safety guard in Corona, California
• Could 2000: Arrested for carrying a loaded firearm in public in Montebello, California
• July 2001: Arrested for theft by misrepresentation as a cardholder in Pomona, California
• August 2001: Arrested for disturbing the peace and carrying a firearm in a public place in San Bernadino, California. He pleaded responsible to disturbing the peace.
• September 2020: Arrested for possession of a harmful weapon and failing to acquire licenses to be a safety guard in Riverside, California

Passion doesn’t have a felony historical past in Colorado or Wyoming, in keeping with his affidavit.
Watch our earlier Denver7 Investigates protection within the video participant beneath:

Information element felony file linked to man arrested in connection to Alexander Mountain Fireplace