UTAH COUNTY, Utah — A 46-year-old West Jordan man is facing arson charges after officials say he was seen in the area of a wildfire in American Fork Canyon.
Conrad Jared Larsen, 46, was arrested on Wednesday and is being held without bail. Detectives said Larsen has a history of starting fires, including one in 2017 for which he was convicted.
According to court documents, deputies with the Utah County Sheriff's Office were told by Forest Service personnel that Larsen had been seen in the area of the fires.
Witnesses stated that a man who matched Larsen's description was spotted throwing sticks on the fire. Those same witnesses said that the fire was outside of a fire pit, had already overtaken 2 bushes, and was 10 feet high when Larsen was seen throwing more fuel at it.
In total, the Timp Fire burned 2 acres of land and forced the evacuation of the Timpooneke Camp during the response.
When investigators located Larsen, they say he was holding a large log and had a lighter in his back pocket. The strong odor of smoke was also noted as coming from his vehicle.
While speaking to police, Larsen stated that he knew of an incident in the area but claimed not to know what happened.
