At least 200 families are preparing to sue Department Natural Resources for what they lost to the 2014 Carlton Complex. The fire that leveled a quarter million acres and 357 buildings began as just a few spot fires.
Neighbors of the Golden Hike lightning strike filed a suit in Olympia Tuesday. The fire began on state land, and the suit alleges DNR did not do enough to stop it when it was small. It merged with two others, and became the massive complex. "There must have been six to seven engines, and a CAT, sitting in that field," said one resident. "And they left me. Left me there."
Another resident said he was ready to fight the fire himself.
"Could have stopped that fire and they wouldn't let us. No we couldn't."
KREM 2 spoke with DNR Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark about the claims 13 months ago.
"Whether or not DNR crews didn't participate when they should have, I doubt very much," said Goldmark.
Nevertheless, Goldmark vowed to follow up on the claims and talk to homeowners about their experience during July of 2014. In Fall 2014, KREM 2 checked up on Goldmark and his efforts to get to the bottom of the dispute.
"It's hard for me to know the voracity of those charges. I wasn't there. We haven't completed our investigation," said Goldmark.
Goldmark had a different answer for us in the spring. When asked if he had a chance to substantiate the claims, and talk with homeowners, he responded, "We've investigated every claim that we could."