SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – Cal Fire has filed a lawsuit against a family over a 2020 East County wildfire.
The Skyline Fire erupted on June 11, 2020, in the Jamul area and eventually burned around 80 acres. No structures were destroyed, and no injuries were reported in the blaze.
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in San Diego, Cal Fire said they concluded the fire was started by a child of a family on a camping trip.
The agency accuses the family of leaving the scene after they failed in their attempts to put the fire out.
Cal Fire said in the filing: "On information and belief, Defendants Joy S. and Nathan S. negligently supervised one or more of their minor children, and one or more of the minor children transferred the campfire to an adjacent vegetated area. On information and belief, Defendants Joy S. and Nathan S. first attempted to extinguish that vegetation fire, but the fire escaped their control and ignited additional vegetation within the vicinity and spread to neighboring property. On information and belief, Defendants Joy S. and Nathan S. subsequently left their campsite without completely extinguishing the fire, ultimately allowing it to burn lands of another."
Cal Fire is demanding the family pay the $675,178.59 it cost to put out the fire.
