On November 24, 2015 John Bird, an investigator with the West Virginia Division of Forestry obtained warrants for Ricky Dale Igo (53 years old of Charleston) and his son Daniel Wayne Igo (26 years old of Charleston) for arson. Both were arraigned in Kanawha County Magistrate Court, then taken to South Central Regional Jail in lieu of bond.
A series of fires have been reported this month in Big Bottom Hollow near Campbell’s Creek, just east of Charleston, WV. The Malden Volunteer Fire Department and WV Division of Forestry sent firefighters to the area on multiple occasions. One fire destroyed a stolen vehicle. Another damaged an estimated 150 acres of woodland. The WV Division of Forestry set up surveillance cameras and took other steps to catch any future acts.
On November 23, 2015 another fire was discovered. Ricky Igo and Daniel Igo were captured on cameras in the area immediately before the fire was set. Today detectives with the Kanawha Bureau of Investigation assisted Investigator Bird with locating and arresting Ricky and Daniel Igo.
The Kanawha County Commission invests heavily into equipping and training volunteer fire departments in Kanawha County. Their office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management also helps coordinate responses to fires when multiple volunteer fire departments are needed. Fires that start in wooded areas or along remote roads can easily spread to threaten businesses, homes, and the people inside.
The investigations into the other fires are continuing. The WV Division of Forestry may release additional information in the near future.
