Police investigate suspicious Tollgate fire

The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office and Forest Service investigators are looking into the origins of a 2.2 acre fire in the woods near Graham Corral west of Tollgate on Monday afternoon.

The fire is deemed suspicious in origin.

"At this point we don't have a cause, but we do consider it suspicious," DCSO Captain Erik Utter told The Nugget.

Sheriff's deputies were in Tollgate Monday afternoon responding to a domestic call involving a 29-year-old man. According to sheriff's office reports, "The reporting party advised (the man) had left the house and advised he was 'leaving to start a fire in the woods.'"

However, Utter told The Nugget, "We don't, at this point, have evidence that would link those two incidents."

Investigators determined that the man had started three fires in the Graham Corral area. The three sites were located by law enforcement, and it was determined all three of those fire were out and had not caused any damage. The man was arrested for reckless burning and disorderly conduct related to those three fires. At this time, investigators have not tied him to the larger fire, Utter said.

Firefighters were able to get a handle on the fire quickly, thanks in part to cool and damp conditions.

More information on the case will be posted at www.nuggetnews.com">www.nuggetnews.comwww.nuggetnews.com as it becomes available.

Anyone with information related to that fire is asked to contact dispatch at 541-693-6911.