HOOD RIVER, ORE.—A teenager who started a major wildfire in the scenic Columbia River Gorge in Oregon has been ordered to pay restitution for at least the next decade, though it’s unlikely the boy will ever cover his nearly $37 million (U.S.) bill. A wildfire as seen from near Stevenson, Wash., across the Columbia River, burning in the Columbia River Gorge above Cascade Locks, Ore. The restitution is solely the responsibility of the teen, and not his parents, who came to the U.S. from Ukraine. The judge said the largest figure he could find for prior juvenile restitution cases in Oregon was $114,000. The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area attracts more than 3 million tourists a year and holds North America’s largest concentration of waterfalls.

Source: thestar May 22, 2018 15:11 UTC