Carlos Avery ---FIRE

[bowhunter73]

The investigation into a grass fire that forced evacuations in the north metro has led to an arrest.

John Berken, who is 40-years-old and from the Twin Cities suburb of Columbus, is in custody, accused of starting the fire.

Investigators say he's a firefighter.

The fire started Monday around 2 p.m. in the Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area near W. Broadway Avenue near Lexington Avenue NE.

By 8 p.m. it had burned 1,500 acres.

Firefighters from every fire department in Anoka and Washington Counties worked the fire. Overnight they were able to bring it under control.

By Tuesday morning, crews were monitoring the fire, watching for and dousing hot spots.

Thirty homes were evacuated for a short time Monday, but no one was hurt and no structures were damaged.

Officials with the Anoka County Sheriff's Department and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources called the fire suspicious and brought in an arson team to investigate.

Officials have not yet said what led to the arrest. Berken is being held at the Anoka County Jail.

Besides the Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area fire, DNR officials said there were five other fires Monday. The first was reported at 2 a.m. The fires were in Blaine, Forest Lake and Ham Lake.

Authorities say at this time, there is no link to the other grass fires.
 

[fubar]

Its that time of the year, about to get out of school (getting my AAS in fire technology) and will be going home and getting back on the voulnteer fire department to help with the wildfires!

[ChrisWallace]

Its that time of the year, about to get out of school (getting my AAS in fire technology) and will be going home and getting back on the voulnteer fire department to help with the wildfires!

Where are you from?

[snow]

I see they made an arrest today...Anoka cty firefigther no less,same guy that owned forest lake ford and ran up around 3million in credit card debt,talk abot falling off the deep end.

[Bufflehead]

Am I missing something or doesn't that place have a wildfire every spring?

It's always Blane & Anoka

[snow]

I think its been a few years since they had a big one and that was arson to...

[ChrisWallace]

I see they made an arrest today...Anoka cty firefigther no less,same guy that owned forest lake ford and ran up around 3million in credit card debt,talk abot falling off the deep end.

Yeah he was a columbus twp/forest lake fire fighter...small little town west of forest lake. Didnt know that was the same guy...

Am I missing something or doesn't that place have a wildfire every spring?

It's always Blane & Anoka

Typically the city of Anoka does not have nearly as many grassfires as the cities of ham lake, oak grove, andover, st. francis. Carlos goes, everybody goes. Hell the last time st paul even showed up...

I think its been a few years since they had a big one and that was arson to...

It was 3 yrs ago that it had a decent burn to it, it did partially burn last fall as well.

[fubar]

Im from Laporte MN, and fight wildfires out of the Walker rangers station when they need help. Im just a casual firefighter for them and am part of the Lakeport FD, they are a good group of guys. The Lakeport fire department donated 2 full sets of turnout gear to me and my buddy and we are currently working on getting our AAS in fire technology.

But back to the subject at hand. Did they say why he set the fire?

[ChrisWallace]

But back to the subject at hand. Did they say why he set the fire?

Nope, probably bored, said today would be a good day to have a grassfire. Then he got to hear the sirens and see the lights...there is a name for that, I dont remember. They might never know.

  thing was sunday night talking to my Chief after he got home from a 7 day vacation, I said its drier than hell out, wouldnt be surprised if we get a good grass fire soon. Sometimes you should be careful what you wish for.

[Mayfly]

If you look into it I guess this is very common of fire fighters to purposely start fires. It happens in California all the time. Pyro Maniac is a real issue.

[snow]

Word is he was trying to burn down forest lake for pay back,his neighbor watched him set the fire.

Channel 11 news...

[stevejedlenski]

these fires are really a shame. in 2005 i had to ride down near carlos with our crew from brainerd. took us a long time to get there and the fire was out when we arrived. they had to call us because it was so close to houses that they wanted extra resources in case it got out of hand. they had to feed us and put us up for the night even though it was out when we got there. they also called in the CL 215s as well. had this fire been out in the forest, they would have spent 100th of what they did on this fire.

all because someone was burning newspapers. everyone knows that this time of year you need to be careful. so please wait to burn things until green-up, go fishing instead :fishing2:

[sandmannd]

Word is he was trying to burn down forest lake for pay back,his neighbor watched him set the fire.

Channel 11 news...

Payback for what? Whould could someone do that would cause you to try to burn down a forest? Good God, shootings and fires, these people need to be strung up!!

[bowhunter73]

Word is he was trying to burn down forest lake for pay back,his neighbor watched him set the fire.

Channel 11 news...

I believe this person is just that stupid, trying to burn down Forest Lake. Dum a$$ didn’t he check the wind. It was going in the wrong direction. If he did do it and is found guilty I hope his new roommate lights his fire 

[bowhunter73]

OK maybe I am just a bit pissy because he just burnt the spot I was going to hunt next year.

[Go Big Red!]

He was looking for money since he was paid something like $13-16 per hour working on the fire crew.  He also got caught by shooting fireworks out of his car window and the witness wrote his license plate down... stupid 

Regardless, I give credit to the firefighters and any of you who work on fire crews.  Sometimes I wonder how crazy a person must be to be a firefighter.  The building is burning, I'm running out, and you're running in.  That's damn impressive!!!!