COLUMBIANA COUNTY Results of forest fire probe turned over to prosecutor

The prosecutor's office will determine whether to file charges in the matter.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- Authorities probing a forest fire that damaged nearly 80 acres of woodlands have given the results of their probe to the Columbiana County Prosecutor's Office.
Investigators have ruled out arson as a cause of the April 15 blaze, Frank Corona, assistant forest manager of the Ohio Division of Forestry's District 3 Office in New Philadelphia, said Tuesday.
Corona's office investigated the blaze, which charred a remote rugged region of Wayne and Franklin townships, west of Hull Road.
Corona would not elaborate on any conclusions that may have been drawn by investigators.
Last week, Corona said he suspected the blaze may have begun as a trash or brush fire that got out of hand.
County Prosecutor Robert Herron was unavailable to comment.
Corona noted that although the case is not considered an arson, there are laws against open burning. He wouldn't say whether those laws would apply in this case.
Extinguishing the fire
Nearly 200 firefighters from throughout the county and some from Carroll and Jefferson counties were needed to extinguish the blaze, which was fueled by high winds and dry vegetation after days of no rain.
No injuries were reported.
Some timber and a camper in the woods were destroyed by flames. The siding on at least one house trailer was damaged. A loss estimate has yet to be compiled.
Much of the material burned was thick undergrowth, including multiflora rose, a wild rose bush that grows in meadows and woods.
Corona has said he expects the burned area to recover through a natural process of reforestation that will produce new saplings and undergrowth.