US /

Copied

(Newser) – Two Arizona cousins who allegedly left a campfire unattended have been charged with starting the biggest wildfire in the state's history. The Wallow fire, which burned more than 800 square miles of wilderness in June, began after Caleb and David Wayne Malboeuf left their fire—which they believed to be extinguished—to go hiking, according to a federal complaint. The fire quickly spread in high winds after smoldering out of a containment ring. It destroyed dozens of homes and cost $79 million to fight.

The cousins "stated that they believed their campfire was out because David threw a candy wrapper in the fire just prior to their departure and it did not melt," a US Forest service special agent said in an affidavit. The pair face five misdemeanor charges, each of which carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both, the Tucson Sentinel reports. Sen. John McCain sparked controversy when he said "there is substantial evidence that some of these fires have been caused by people who have crossed our border illegally" after a visit to the Wallow fire site, Reuters notes. (Read more Wallow Fire stories.)