From Deseret News archives:
Church added to fire lawsuits
The lawsuits, initially filed one year ago in federal and state courts by the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Utah Attorney General's Office, allege that about 20 Boy Scouts started at least one campfire on decayed wood during the LDS troop's overnight camping trip for a wilderness-survival merit badge.
The Scouts were supervised only by three 15-year-olds who did not closely watch the Scouts, the lawsuits state. A fire ban at the time prohibited all campfires outside developed campgrounds and picnic areas.
The East Fork Fire was spotted around 1 or 1:30 p.m. the afternoon after the Scouts broke camp near the East Fork of the Bear Boy Scout Reservation. It forced dozens of evacuations and eventually burned 14,200 acres in the Uinta Mountains just south of the Wyoming border.
The federal government has sued for more than $13 million in damages, and the state is suing for approximately $600,000. The money would reimburse the two governments for fire-fighting costs.
Eight of the 20 Scouts on the overnight trip were from the Peoa Ward near Kamas, Wasatch County, which made the church culpable for the boys, the suits state. Adding the church to the suits gives the "finder of fact in this case the full picture of who may have legal responsibility for the fire damages," said Melodie Rydalch, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The amended complaints were filed Friday in federal and state courts Friday.
"The only thing that we're going to say today is that we are investigating the matter," said Dale Bills, a church spokesman.
The lawsuit previously named the Greater Salt Lake Council of the Boys Scouts of America. A phone call seeking comment from Kay Godfrey, a Scout spokesman, was not returned by deadline Friday.
A statement announcing the amended complaint stated the council contends it's not clear when the fire started and that troops are under the supervision of adult leaders and not the council.
Church officials, Boy Scouts and government officials are in ongoing discussions about settling the lawsuit without going to trial, Rydalch said.
E-mail: kswinyard@desnews.com
