A Dunedin hunter facing a possible $60,000 bill for a fire in the Waitaki Valley says he will be bankrupted if he has to pay the fine.
The Otago Rural Fire Authority has been trying to recover the costs for the January 10 fire from Tom Dodds, but this week, having been unsuccessful, passed the case over to the National Rural Fire Authority.
Mr Dodds (22) says he did not start the fire, to which he called emergency services.
He maintains he spotted the fire 150m away from where he stopped to have lunch on a rabbit-shooting trip.
Helicopters and rural fire crews fought the fire over the next couple of days.
Police said there was "strong evidence'' at the scene indicating the fire was started by a spark from a high-powered rifle and a week later Mr Dodds learned he was to be blamed.
The painter was subsequently sent a $60,000 bill from the Otago authority.
Mr Dodds is still declining to pay the bill and says he never expects to be in a position where he could pay it.
"It will bankrupt me, then some.''
He said he expected the matter to end up in court if the National Rural Fire Authority expected any money to be paid because he simply could not cover it.
"I don't have the money. If they want it that badly, they'll have to take me to court.
"I've just left work to go and see my lawyer for the 20th time and get a loan so I can pay my lawyer.
"At the end of the day, it's pretty hard to make someone look guilty for something they haven't done, but in the meantime it's going to get expensive. It's a bit pathetic.''
He said the strain on his family and himself from the fine was immense.
"I can't even begin to explain. I've had to sell one of my vehicles. It's just ridiculous.''
The worst thing was the wait to see if the case would end up in court.
National Rural Fire Authority spokesman Kevin O'Connor said talk of going to court was premature, given the authority was yet to start its investigation.
"It's highly speculative. We hardly [ever] end up in the court.''
All the Otago authority was trying to do was recover costs incurred for fighting a fire that at one stage covered 72ha, he said.
It had handed over the case to the national authority because it deemed it was unlikely to recover the costs from Mr Dodds.
"They have actually told him they have withdrawn their invoice to him.
"What we do with it now, we look at the costs. They'll give us the summary of cost and put a claim in with us.''
He said the initial assessment, when started, would look at the claim and arguments.
Legal advice would be obtained, and then a decision would be made on whether costs would be pursued.
That could take up to two months to decide.
"We haven't begun the assessment of it. We haven't looked at the fire investigation report. We haven't started any work on it.''
Mr Dodds said he had been told the Otago Authority had withdrawn its invoice, but he was still worried the matter would end up in court.
