A federal search for a pair of Vans sneakers revealed a man and his girlfriend's may have been involved in at least six New Mexico wildfires, including the Salt Fire that burned nearly 8,000 acres of land, according to a court document.
In a recently unsealed search warrant affidavit, an FBI agent detailed an investigation into 16 suspicious fires on the Mescalero Apache Reservation near Ruidoso, New Mexico. The FBI began the investigation in early May, and several other federal agencies joined last month after the Salt Fire had burned more than 7,000 acres of the reservation's forests.
Investigators determined all 16 fires to be "human-caused." The fires occurred from May 3 to June 18 in a 25-square-mile area.
The Salt Fire was the most destructive of the 16, and investigators noted that it had diverted resources away from the South Fork Fire, a naturally caused fire that burned over 1,400 structures and killed two people. The Salt Fire started about 2 hours after the South Fork was reported.
After having spoken with witnesses and searching the areas of each fire, investigators found two things that led them to the couple: a Jeep and a pair of Vans sneakers.
Witnesses reported seeing two people drive away from one of the fires in a Jeep Grand Cherokee, which was later seen fleeing two other fires. Investigators also found the impression of a Vans-branded shoe in the dirt near two of the fires.
Less than a mile from where the Salt Fire started, an agent from the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Office of Justice Services conducted a traffic stop of the suspected Jeep, with a man and his girlfriend inside.
The Jeep’s tire tread patterns closely matched those near the fires, authorities said. A shoe print of the woman's Vans also matched the previously found impression, and the woman voluntarily gave her shoes to the FBI, it said.
The man in the Jeep had reported the first fire that occurred on May 3, claiming to be a wildland firefighter who tried to put it out, authorities said. Investigators said they observed, however, a stark contrast in his reaction to the Salt Fire; he didn't attempt to report or extinguish it, even though he claimed in an interview that it was visible from his house.
The FBI would not comment, citing the ongoing investigation, and pointed to a news release last month asking for public assistance in identifying the fires.
According to the National Park Service, nearly 85% of wildland fires in the U.S. are caused by human activities, such as unattended campfires, debris burning, equipment malfunctions and arson. Severe heat, which persists across the country in dangerous waves, can also fuel wildfires.
