DOJ sues contracting company for allegedly starting a wildfire in San Bernardino National Forest

The U.S. Department of Justice announced a lawsuit on Thursday against a Upland-based contracting company that allegedly started a destructive wildfire in the San Bernardino National Forest.

The South Fire caused hundreds of evacuations near the Lytle Creek area, which borders the I-15 Freeway northwest of San Bernardino. Firefighters contained the blaze after it burned over 800 acres, according to the San Bernardino National Forest Service. It damaged six homes and destroyed 18 buildings, four of which were houses, according to Cal Fire.

Firefighters spent a better part of a week extinguishing the fire.

Prosecutors claim Garrett J. Gentry General Engineering Inc. and its owner, Garrett J. Gentry, caused the fire and did not stop it from spreading.

"Investigators determined that the fire started when the steel treads of the excavator, operated by Gentry Engineering and Gentry, contacted rocks, causing ignition of fuel, such as dry vegetation," the lawsuit states. "Gentry Engineering and Gentry were aware of the danger of a rock strike by the excavator and failed to take action to prevent a fire."

The United States Forest Service spent more than $2.2 million fighting the fire. The U.S. Attorney's office believe the contractor should be held liable for the damages the South Fire caused.