A Loveland man has been arrested and accused of starting the Alexander Mountain Fire.
The Alexander Mountain Fire started July 29, burned 9,668 acres and destroyed dozens of houses and outbuildings in the Cedar Park area west of Loveland .
After collecting evidence in the area where smoke was initially reported, fire investigators with the U.S. Forest Service and the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office determined the fire was human caused and originated from a campfire ring, Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen said during a news conference Wednesday.
“We found evidence of a fire ring on top of the Alexander Mountain and the fire escaped the fire ring,” Feyen said, noting he could not speak to whether the fire was started accidentally or intentionally due to the ongoing criminal investigation.
Investigators identified 49-year-old Jason Hobby as the person they suspect started the fire, Feyen said.
Feyen said investigators identified Hobby as a suspect through evidence collected where the fire started and multiple interviews with witnesses who saw the start of the fire.