Former Ohio 911 dispatcher ignites forest fires to provide activities for boys

Former fire department administrator James Bartels of Rio Grande has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to pay over $638,000 in costs for starting 26 wildfires in Wayne National Forest in 2022. Bartels confessed to using a lighter to start the fires to “give the boys something to do.” The fires burned about 1,300 acres of federal and state land. Ohio Department of Natural Resources officers observed Bartels’ truck near the forest before one of the fires was reported. Witnesses also saw Bartels near fires shortly after they were ignited. Bartels resigned from his job as a 911 dispatcher in Gallia County after at least 17 more fires were set in the following days. Despite previously working as a police officer, Bartels was found guilty of arson and sentenced to prison for his actions. Over 100 firefighters from multiple states were required to battle the blazes. Bartels’ intentional starting of wildfires caused significant damage to the forest and surrounding areas, leading to a hefty financial penalty and imprisonment.