On the 2nd September last year, the teenager went hiking on the Eagle Creek trail, in the northern area of the state, just southeast of Portland. Whilst hiking there, the teen who cannot be named for legal reasons, threw several fireworks into the woods. One of these fireworks caused a huge wildfire that saw the destruction of over 48,000 acres of land.
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This fire has sparked lawsuits from 11 different parties including the Union Pacific Railroad, Oregon State Parks and the US Forest Service, all suing for damages. Last Monday, a judge ordered the 16-year-old to pay a whopping 36,618,330 USD (£27,290,176).
In response, the teen’s attorney has fought back calling the fines ‘absurd’. According to CNN, the attorney Jack Morris said that the fine ‘violated the Oregon and US Constitutions’ referring to the US 8th amendment, which protects people from excessive fines.
If the teen is unable to pay the millions of dollars he now owes, he may have to establish a schedule of payments with a juvenile department in the state.
