A teenager who started a huge wildfire in the scenic Columbia River Gorge in Oregon could owe more in restitution that he will earn in a lifetime.
Eleven requests for restitution totaling almost $37 million have been submitted to a court. That covers the costs of firefighting, repair and restoration to the gorge and damage to homes. At a hearing Thursday, the lawyer for the 15-year-old defendant urged Hood River County Judge John Olson to impose a "reasonable and rational" amount of restitution. The attorney, Jack Morris, said ordering a boy who is indigent to pay $37 million is "absurd."