AP Exclusive: Report links wildfires to immigrants
Posted: Nov 22, 2011 12:15 AM Updated: Nov 22, 2011 12:15 AMFLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) - A study by Congress' investigative arm says 30 wildfires in Arizona's border region have been linked to illegal border crosser s over five years.
Arizona Sen. John McCain says the study released to The Associated Press on Tuesday backs up statements he made earlier this year that wildfires are sometimes caused by people who have crossed into the United States illegally.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office study, however, makes no mention of whether anyone was prosecuted for starting those fires and offers no hard evidence that immigrants were responsible.
The GAO looked at human-caused wildfires within 100 miles of the Arizona-Mexico border that topped 1 acre and resulted in investigative reports. The study found that 30 were suspected to have been caused by illegal border crossers between 2006 and 2010.
The report does not include 2011 wildfires.
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