2 men found guilty of starting Colby Fire

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Two men were found guilty on Friday of starting the 1,900-acre Colby Fire that destroyed five homes and forced thousands of residents in Glendora and Azusa to flee.

Clifford Henry Jr., 22, and Steven Robert Aguirre, 21, were convicted of one felony and three misdemeanor counts of lighting and failing to control an illegal campfire.

A third defendant, Jonathan Jarrell, is scheduled to face trial May 20.

During the trial, Henry Jr. and Aguirre testified that they hiked up a forest trail high above Glendora the night of Jan. 15, built a fire ring out of rocks, and lit two illegal campfires. The first fire went out by itself before midnight, but around 4 a.m. on Jan. 16, they woke up because of the cold weather.

Henry Jr. and Aguirre told jurors they decided to build a second campfire, using a random spot of tinder, chaparral and dry brush. Then a gust of wind blew embers into the surrounding grass of the Angeles National Forest. They stomped out one patch of fire, but another started.

The men "panicked and fled," leaving the wildfire "to the untender mercies of the Santa Ana winds," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph O. Johns during the trial.

Six people were injured in the wildfire, including five firefighters.

Henry Jr. and Aguirre each face up to 6 1/2 years in federal prison when they are sentenced on Aug. 4.

City News Service contributed to this report.