Man accused of reckless burning in connection with the Deer Creek Fire appears in court

MONTICELLO, Utah (ABC4) — The man facing reckless burning charges in connection with the Deer Creek Fire appeared in court Monday morning for the first time since being charged.

Scott Carrier, 68, appeared in court via Webex Monday after being indicted on multiple charges in connection with the Deer Creek Fire which torched well over 17 thousand acres and costed over $24 million to contain.

The Deer Creek Fire scorches over 17 thousand acres in rural San Juan County. (Courtesy//Utah Fire Info)

“This is a fairly complex case with expert witnesses and testimony that’s going to take us some time to get our arms around it,” Jim Bradshaw, an attorney representing Carrier, said during Monday’s hearing.

The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office says the fire, which began on July 10, 2025, threatened homes, infrastructure, and wildlife.

Initial investigation

The day after the fire broke out, investigators visited the reported origins of the fire near Carrier’s home in La Sal. Charging documents show he admitted to police to burning sagebrush piles in the winter. Officers observed that the piles appeared fresh.

Police say they also found burnt pieces of paper towel near the area where the fire is believed to have started.

The State Fire investigator examined the property further and found the fire was human caused from two origins: discarded ashes from a cooking/warming fire and an ember from the same fire that sparked a different blaze downslope. Investigators say the second fire grew into the Deer Creek Fire.

Investigators also executed a search warrant on a camp trailer on Carrier’s property where they reportedly found a lighter, lighter fluid, a gas can, and a roll of paper towels matching burnt pieces at the scene.

Carrier is facing only misdemeanor charges including reckless burning, abandoned fire, violating a fire restriction order, and causing catastrophe.

Bradshaw told the court there is a considerable amount of discovery that has yet to be reviewed, leading them to schedule Carrier’s waiver hearing on Dec. 1, 2025.

Amelia Hobson contributed to this reporting.