CANYON CITY — The U.S. Forest Service and a federal union have expressed full support for Ricky Snodgrass, the Forest Service burn boss who was indicted in Grant County earlier this month on a single count of reckless burning.

Grant County Sheriff Todd McKinley arrested Snodgrass on Oct. 19, 2022, while a prescribed fire operation he was supervising was still burning. The incident is believed to be the first case of a Forest Service firefighter being arrested in the course of doing her or his job.

The Forest Service had been conducting a prescribed burn. Embers from the planned burn area blew across the highway and charred about 20 acres of timber and grazing land on a nearby ranch before the blaze could be put out.

Snodgrass was indicted by a grand jury on a Class A misdemeanor count of reckless burning on Feb. 2.

Arraignment in Grant County Circuit Court was held Friday. A plea hearing was set for April 1 at 8:30 a.m.

Grant County Circuit Court Judge Robert Raschio has recused himself from the case, citing a conflict.

Shortly after the arrest, Forest Service Chief Randy Moore vowed he would “not stand idly by” and would defend the agency’s employees. Jacqueline Buchanan, regional forester for the U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest region, said in an official message shared with the Blue Mountain Eagle last week that Snodgrass has the full support of the agency’s leadership.

“I want to express my steadfast and unwavering support for Rick, his family, the Malheur National Forest team, and the fire community,” Buchanan said. “USDA and Forest Service leadership, including Chief Randy Moore, continue to fully support Rick through this process.”

Snodgrass is being represented by private attorneys paid by the U.S. Department of Justice, according to Buchanan.

“Ultimately, I believe the courts will get this case right and will not single out a federal employee for carrying out his official duties,” Buchanan wrote.

In an email to U.S. Forest Service employees, Moore said the agency will continue to ensure Snodgrass is supported in every way and defended vigorously in court.

“Our agency stands behind our team members when they carry out their official duties responsibly and follow agency protocols; in these types of situations, the agency should be held accountable, not an individual employee,” Moore wrote.

After Snodgrass’ arrest, the head of a federal employees union suggested that the sheriff could be arrested on a felony charge of interfering with a federal employee in the course of his duties.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Portland said that no federal charges had been filed against McKinley but added he could neither confirm nor deny the existence of any federal investigations related to the incident. McKinley said he’s seen no indication that charges might be filed against him.

The National Federation of Federal Employees, a union representing 110,000 government workers, strongly condemned what it said was the “wrongful” indictment of Snodgrass.

Federation President Randy Erwin issued a statement last week saying Snodgrass has the full, unconditional support of the union, “as does every federal wildland firefighter and civil servant across this country.”

Erwin said the indictment sets a “dangerous precedent,” adding that it could worsen a trend of increasing threats and attacks against federal employees performing their duties.

“It is unconscionable that a local sheriff would arrest a working wildland firefighter during an active fire operation,” Erwin said. “Not only did the sheriff break the law when he detained Firefighter Snodgrass, but in doing so, the sheriff put his own community in danger by apprehending a working fire commander during a dangerous incident. Firefighter Snodgrass was arrested, and has now been indicted, for simply doing his job. The only reckless action taken during this prescribed burn was the Sheriff intentionally obstructing Firefighter Snodgrass in the performance of a necessary government operation.”

Chad Holliday, a co-owner of the impacted ranch, said he and his family deserve an apology and financial compensation after the incident, “but I believe we’ll never get that compensation.”

“I think the arrogance is way overboard with our federal government,” Holliday said. “They knew it was too dry to burn. They gave me half a day to get my cattle out of there. And they’re just employees of us.”

Holliday said he hopes the criminal case against Snodgrass helps landowners in the future, “because this isn’t the last time it’s going to happen.”