PHOENIX (Reuters) - A 29-year-old contract firefighter who was charged on Sunday with setting one of the major Arizona wildfires, allegedly started the blaze because he wanted some seasonal work, prosecutors said.

LOOKS LIKE WE NEED TO DO A LITTLE MORE EXTENSIVE SCREENINGS ON OUR FIREFIGHTERS....

didn't a woman start the one in colorado burning love letters from her ex-husband or boyfriend? i think she, too, has been arrested. a lot of arsonists get into firefighting because of their "love" of fire...the fires are awful, but he psychology behind it all is pretty fascinating!

It's sad that these fires are man-made destroying people's lives in the process.

BRAY.



I THOUGHT IT WAS A WOMAN FIREFIGHTER?

DONNA

As soon as I heard about it I thought the same as Aprilcat; many pyromaniacs get into firefighting to be close to the fascination they have with fire. This guy just wanted to have some seasonal work?? How heartbreaking that so many lives were ruined over this.

MAKES ME THINK OF THAT MOVIE-BACKDRAFT--YOU GUYS REMEMBER IT??

My two brothers are volunteer fire fighters and it makes me sick to think of one of their own putting all of their lives in danger. What they do is dangerous enough without arsonists adding to the peril. They don't get paid, their work is strictly voluntairy.

From what I understand, three unrelated people started the fires which is why they're so out of control - a male fire fighter wanting more work, a woman burning love letters (they're doubting that story, though), and another woman lost in the woods setting off a flare to attract the attention of a helicopter.