CANYON CITY — U.S. Forest Service burn boss Ricky Snodgrass was arraigned on a Class A misdemeanor count of reckless burning on Friday, Feb. 16, in Grant County Circuit Court.

Participants in the proceeding appeared by video.

At the arraignment, a plea hearing was set for April 1 at 8:30 a.m.

Also at the hearing, Judge Erin Landin renewed and amended Snodgrass’ release agreement to allow him to leave the state for purposes of his employment, as well as to allow him to have contact with the property involved in order to provide firefighting services or other emergency aid if needed.

Grant County District Attorney Jim Carpenter said he had no objection to either provision.

Grant County Sheriff Todd McKinley arrested Snodgrass on Oct. 19, 2022, while a prescribed fire he was supervising was still burning. The incident is believed to be the first case of a Forest Service firefighter being arrested in the course of doing their job.

The Forest Service had been conducting a prescribed burn just north of the Izee-Paulina Highway and west of Highway 395. Embers from the planned burn area blew across the highway and charred about 20 acres of timber and grazing land on a nearby ranch before the blaze could be put out.

Snodgrass was indicted by a grand jury on a single misdemeanor count of reckless burning on Feb. 2.

The U.S. Forest Service and a federal employee union have expressed full support for Snodgrass.

In an email to employees, Forest Service Chief Randy Moore said the federal agency will continue to ensure Snodgrass is supported in every way and is defended vigorously in court.

Carpenter said his office would handle the case as it does other criminal matters.

“It is anticipated that this case will proceed through the court system like any other class A misdemeanor,” the district attorney said in a statement. “While this case remains pending, the state will have no other comment on the matter.”