LAKE CHRISTINE SUSPECTS FACE FELONY CHARGES

A man and a woman who allegedly started the Lake Christine fire with tracer bullets face two counts of arson as the district attorney seeks restitution.

Felony arrest warrants have been issued against a man and a woman who allegedly ignited the Lake Christine fire with tracer bullets, district attorney says.

The district attorney will seek restitution for firefighting costs and the value of three homes that were destroyed, including one valued at $1 million.

Alison Marcus, 22, and Richard Miller, 23, each face two felony counts of fourth degree arson and igniting a fire in a forest in violation of a fire ban, District Attorney Bruce Brown said Monday.

The arson charge comes with a maximum penalty of six years in prison. Violating the fire ban could bring up to 18 months in prison, Brown said. Bail has been set at $7,500 for Marcus and Miller.

If the two are convicted, Brown said he would seek restitution for the three destroyed homes and the cost to fight and extinguish the blaze.

The three homes that were destroyed include a mobile home and a large home valued at more than $1 million, Brown said.

The Lake Christine fire has consumed 5,916 acres and is 31 percent contained.

Brown said that tracer rounds ignite on impact. The fire is still burning so it’s unclear how much it will eventually cost to put out.

“It posed a threat to start a fire,” he said.

As of Monday, Marcus and Miller had not been arrested, but Brown said they will likely be arraigned and formally charged this week.