A cyclist with a penchant for public pooping has been accused of starting a fire which engulfed 73 acres of foothills in Boise, Idaho.
Bureau of Land Management official Carrie Bilbao told reporters a fitness fanatic was cycling in the area when he needed to void his bowels, so he decided to defecate in a ravine. The man then tried to dispose of the waste by setting his toilet paper on fire, but embers spread to a nearby patch of grass.
The dry grass was ignited and soon blazed out of control. Firefighters spent six and a half hours keeping the inferno under control, during which time it scorched 73 acres of land.
Posed by models.
"We've had this before, actually - it doesn't happen very often - but when people have to go, um, they will often burn their toilet paper just as kind of an environmental concern, to not litter, basically, but in these fuel types, it's not a good idea," Bilbao said.
Officials are currently deciding if they will charge the unnamed man with a criminal offence or fine him for fire-fighting costs.
Five brush rigs (an off-road truck), a water tender (a large truck used to carry water), five command staff, two helicopters, two bulldozers and four fire engines were needed to control the fire.
"I guess when you gotta go, you gotta go," Bilbao added.