Man Accused Of Starting Wildfires In Oregon Tied To A Tree By Residents

A 30-year-old man accused of starting a pair of wildfires in Oregon was detained by a group of local residents. The Curry County Sheriff's Office said that the residents noticed Trennon Smith walking along a gravel road near Rogue River Ranch after allegedly setting two wildfires.

The group confronted Smith, and he became combative. The three residents managed to restrain Smith and tied him to a tree until the police arrived. He was then taken into custody and was booked on two counts of first-degree arson and one count of reckless burning.

Smith sustained injuries from "falling down" and was taken to the hospital for treatment before he was taken to jail.

Firefighters were dispatched to battle the two separate fires. With the help of several helicopters, they were able to contain the fires before they spread.

"The cooperation and partnership between all agencies when something like this occur is remarkable. The quick actions on getting the fires out most certainly averted a catastrophe and saved lives. The total area burnt is less than one acre. If the fires had not been contained and if they got out of control, they could have blocked all the residents and visitors from having an escape route," the Curry County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on Facebook.