LA SAL, Utah — A man has been charged in connection with the Deer Creek Fire that burned over 17,000 acres in southeastern Utah over the summer.

Scott Carrier was charged with Reckless Burning, Abandoning a Fire, Causing a Catastrophe and Violation of a Fire Restriction Order, all misdemeanor offenses.

Dangerous winds fueled the wildfire that burned near La Sal in mid-July, destroying over a dozen structures and forcing a widespread evacuation and road closures. Overall, 17,724 acres were burned and 300 people had to be evacuated.

Even as the wildfire burned, officials declared that it had been human-caused.

According to the indictment filed against Carrier, two men who made the initial 911 call about the fire on July 10 told a sheriff's office deputy that they had been working on a ro

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