PETA Calls for Animal Cruelty Charges in Deer Creek Fire Investigation
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has formally requested that San Juan County Attorney Mitchell Maughan include animal cruelty charges against Scott Carrier, the individual charged in connection with the Deer Creek Fire.
The wildfire, which began July 10 near Old La Sal in the La Sal Mountains southeast of Moab, scorched nearly 18,000 acres across Utah and Colorado. It destroyed 13 structures and caused over $24 million in damage, including homes, cabins, a U.S. Forest Service guard station, and a communications site.
Details of Charges and Fire Impact
Carrier currently faces four misdemeanor counts: reckless burning, abandoned fire, causing catastrophe, and violation of stage one fire restrictions. PETA, in a letter dated October 15, urged local prosecutors to add charges under Utah’s animal cruelty laws, which criminalize reckless or negligent harm to animals.
The fire produced a rare EF-2 “firenado,” with winds exceeding 110 mph, an extreme meteorological event that exacerbated the fire’s destructiveness, contributing to habitat loss and endangering both wildlife and domestic species.
Wildlife and Domestic Animal Suffering
PETA highlighted that fires of this scale cause profound ecological disruption, killing and displacing innumerable wild and domestic animals. The organization cited a specific case of a cat rescued by Moab Valley firefighters with severe burns to the abdomen, face, legs, and paws. This example illustrates the direct impact such fires have on animal populations.
Dr. Emily Waters, a wildlife ecologist specializing in fire ecology, notes, “Fires of this magnitude not only decimate vegetation but dramatically reduce available habitat and food resources for large herbivores such as deer, elk, and smaller mammals. The trauma and displacement caused can lead to increased mortality long after the flames subside.”
Legal Precedents and Prosecution Efforts
PETA referenced successful prosecutions in California and Oregon, where animal cruelty charges were added in wildfire-related cases, reflecting a growing recognition of wildlife harm in fire investigations. Colin Henstock, PETA’s associate director of project strategy, emphasized that the injured cat represents just one visible case among many unseen wildlife casualties.
Henstock stated, “Given that the Deer Creek Fire burned nearly 18,000 acres, it is almost certain that numerous wildlife species suffered injury or death. We urge authorities to acknowledge this aspect and pursue appropriate charges.”
Ongoing Response and Community Impact
The San Juan County Attorney’s Office has not yet responded to requests for comment. The Deer Creek Fire was fully contained on August 11, but its ecological and economic effects continue to ripple through the region.
Wildfires in mountainous and forested landscapes such as the La Sal Mountains critically affect deer populations by destroying winter browse and altering migration corridors. The loss of cover increases vulnerability to predation and stress, factors that can slow population recovery.
Conclusion
PETA’s call to integrate animal cruelty charges into the legal response underscores the broader consequences of human-caused wildfires on wildlife. This case highlights the need for increased accountability to protect both animal welfare and ecosystem health amid growing wildfire threats.
Additional reporting and sources from: PETA urges authorities to add animal cruelty charge in Deer Creek Fire case
