Colorado man cremated dog, sparked forest fire and arrested

On August 1, a major investigation was launched into the Bucktail Fire, which blazed for several days in Colorado. Authorities determined that the fire was ignited by 63-year-old Brent Scott Garber, who was reportedly attempting to cremate his pet dog. This unfortunate decision led to his arrest on arson and illegal trespassing charges.

The Bucktail Fire, located northeast of Nucla, Colorado, caused widespread destruction for over a week before firefighters managed to bring it under control. The fire devastated around 7,200 acres of both private and national forest land and resulted in the destruction of a home.

Court documents state that a commander from the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office witnessed Garber leaving the fire scene in an all-terrain vehicle just minutes after receiving reports of the blaze.

When investigators arrived at the site where the fire started, they uncovered a dug-out grave that contained a partially burned dog, along with a large rock inscribed with the message, “October 2017—July 2024, Rocket Dog, Rest in Peace, Buddy.” A bone was found resting beneath the stone inscription.

According to police testimony, Garber’s dog, Rocket, had been euthanized by officials in Nucla following a court ruling related to a dog fight.

Witnesses indicated that Garber, who lived in a nearby trailer, admitted to them that he had placed his dog in a pit filled with wood and set it ablaze, even throwing an aerosol can into the fire. Tragically, the can exploded, igniting a nearby tree and ultimately sparking the wildfires.

Garber was arrested on September 5 and made his initial court appearance in Montrose County on the 25th, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 23.

The Bucktail Fire has been recognized as one of the most significant wildfires in Colorado this year, with damages estimated to exceed $300,000.