Gondola Fire area recovers, one year later

STATELINE -- A year after the 673-acre Gondola fire forced evacuations of the Ridge Tahoe, trees have sprouted in the burn area, but the identity of the smoker who began the blaze remains a mystery.

"At this point, there is still nothing new," said Dave Cotter, a U.S. Forest Service investigator handling the case, who still holds out hope that someone will come forward.

Days after ignition, Cotter interviewed people who were riding the Heavenly Gondola when smoke first started to rise. He was aided by Heavenly employees who jotted down the name and contact information of the riders.

Photographs and a couple videotapes were examined, but no suspect was identified. The interviews proved fruitless.

Cotter knows the answers are somewhere, even though the people who have them may not realize it.

"I'm fairly confident there are people who saw things that day who have yet to realize their information may be of value to the investigation," he said.

Typically, cigarettes do not start fires. But conditions were ripe July 3, 2002, for one to start the blaze. Fuel type, a low level of humidity and wind speed are the main factors. Direction of the sun and how a cigarette lands also factor into the mix.

"It can take hours before it actually gets enough heat to start a flame," Cotter said. "In flashier fuels it can take sometimes within minutes, but the key is ... the conditions have to be almost perfect."

The cigarette butt, in custody and in burned filter form, was likely discarded through a small window from a Heavenly Gondola carriage or by a person on the ground.

Enforcement now includes the 50 to 60 Heavenly Gondola employees telling guests to extinguish cigarettes. Random bag checks will also be conducted to confiscate matches and lighters. The items will be returned to owners at the ride's end.

Patty Pontello, with the U.S. Attorney's Office, said the cigarette tosser could face five to 20 years in state prison and $250,000 in fines for maliciously starting a fire on USFS land, but added it depends on intent.

If there was no intent and the discarded cigarette was an accident, the punishment may not be a felony, Pontello said.

"I guess we can't indict people for stupidity," she said.

Cotter said there is a chance the person responsible could be caught after more than a year, but help is needed.

"The thing about it is, sometimes little pieces of information can be that piece ... the fact they saw a dog running through that area or a mountain biker. It can be a whole bunch of specific things," he said.

n Anybody with information on the matter is asked to contact Dave Cotter at (530) 543-2629 or dcotter@fs.fed.us.

YOU CAN HELP

Call (530) 543-2629 or e-mail dcotter@fs.fed.us if you have any information