According to a criminal complaint, troopers went to West Falls Creek Road after receiving a report at about 12:07 a.m. May 26 of a large brush fire. West Falls Creek Road was one of the areas damaged in the 1,047-acre fire that destroyed eight structures and threatened 140 other homes last month. In his complaint, Trooper Greg Pealatere said that he saw a 20-foot wide burn pile at Polushkin's home.

A burning suspension had been in effect because of dangerous and dry conditions. The ban was lifted a day later, said Sharon Roesch, an Alaska Division of Forestry fire information officer.

"It certainly wasn't the wisest thing to light a fire after the Mile 17 East End Road fire," she said.

Poluskin was at the fire with Kiril Polushkin and was watering down the fire when troopers arrived. Firefighters also responded to the fire, but had to wait until troopers cleared the scene. The fire did not spread beyond the burn pile. Gregory Polushkin allegedly told Pealatere he had started the fire.

After seeing smoke and flames, Randall, Buck and Cecil Jones drove tractors to the fire to put out the fire. Buck Jones told Pealatere he saw flames 70 feet high. Buck Jones said he "got into the kid's face and asked him if he was stupid," Pealatere wrote in his complaint.

Gregory Polushkin said a man wearing a yellow jacket punched him in the face. He told Pealatere "he knows he shouldn't have started the fire and gets the picture now," the trooper wrote.

Randall Jones denied wearing a yellow jacket and told Pealatere he pushed Polushkin on the side of his head and that Polushkin fell down and got up, the trooper wrote. Jones claimed Polushkin grabbed a wooden club or stick and told him to get off his property or he would get a shotgun.

Pealatere said the burn pile had wood, tires and car batteries in it.

The Alaska Division of Forestry issued Polushkin a warning for burning during a suspension, but did not cite him, Roesch said. Polushkin did not call inquiring about a burn permit. Under Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation regulations prohibiting burning toxic materials, State Forestry issues burn permits only for organic matter like wood and brush.

Roesch inspected Polushkin's burn pile. She said there were small trees and alder brush within 20 feet of the pile, and the pile was on a lawn. The Mile 17 fire had come within 100 yards of the Polushkin home, Roesch said.

Polushkin was charged under a section of the criminal statutes for failure to control or report a dangerous fire when knowing that a fire was endangering life or property and taking reasonable measures to put out or control the fire.

Burn permits are required during the Alaska fire season, and safe conditions for burning can vary daily.

Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.