Suspect arrested in connection with Alexander Mountain Fire in Colorado

A suspect was arrested in connection with the Alexander Mountain Fire that burned nearly 10,000 acres in Colorado earlier this year. The wildfire broke out on July 29 and destroyed 28 homes and 21 other structures.

Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen said the suspect was identified as Jason Hobby, 49, a Loveland resident and former employee of the Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch.

Hobby was an employee of the ranch until about three or four weeks ago, when he was identified as a suspect in the arson.

“What led us to him was good, old-fashioned, plain-old police work,” Feyen said. “We knew where the fire was, so we went there with the Forest Service and several fire investigators to collect and find evidence.”

Feyen said investigators had found clues to the cause of the fire on the summit of Alexanderberg.

“We found evidence of a ring of fire on the summit of Alexander Mountain and the fire started from that ring of fire,” Feyen said.

The fire started on July 29 west of Loveland and resulted in several mandatory and voluntary evacuations. The fire was mapped to 9,668 acres before it was 100% contained just over two weeks after it began.

Investigators said early on, The fire was caused by humans.

Hobby was arrested Tuesday afternoon and is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday afternoon. He faces several charges, including first-degree arson, improper conduct in a public office, menacing, false imprisonment and impersonation of a public official.

Feyen said Hobby falsely posed as a police officer and firefighter and had stopped travelers months before the Alexander Mountain Fire, falsely claiming they were trespassing. Feyen also said Hobby pointed guns at the people he stopped. Those stops allegedly took place on Northern Colorado Water District property or at the Hansen Feeder Canal.

Hobby also drove a vehicle that was modified to look like a fire engine.

“It looks like what our fire department would use on a wildfire. It was a four-wheel drive pickup truck, it had stripes and emblems that said 'Twin Buttes Fire Protection District,' and from our research and investigation, we can't find a Twin Buttes fire department anywhere,” Feyen said. “He had firefighting equipment that also had those emblems. He had hose reels, catch tanks, it was hard to tell. To the point where he could get through roadblocks to get to the fire scene, which was inappropriate.”

According to Feyen, Hobby has numerous criminal records in California.

Additional information from the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office:

Based on the evidence collected, investigators fear Hobby may have falsely identified himself as a police officer or firefighter in other situations. Anyone with information regarding this suspect's involvement in the Alexander Mountain Fire or who believes they may have been the victim of an identity fraud situation is asked to contact LCSO Investigator Justin Atwood at 970-498-5143.

The same day the arrest was announced, the Alexander Mountain Post-Fire Burned Area Emergency Response Team completed its assessment of the Roosevelt National Forest. The report shows there is limited risk to human life and safety, infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources on Forest Service lands within the burn area.

However, the report noted an increased risk for flooding and mudslides following heavy rainfall. For this reason, the Forest Service recommends: “Everyone near and downstream of the fire area should remain alert and aware of weather conditions that may cause heavy rainfall over the burn scar. Flash flooding can occur quickly during heavy rain. Larimer County has a website with recovery resources for residents affected by the Alexander Mountain Fire. For more information on flood preparedness, visit ready.gov/floods and floodsmart.gov.”