Cochise County Sheriff backs McCain's claims that illegal immigrants start wildfires

Sheriff Larry Dever on who started the Monument Fire: "It wasn't the rabbits or the rattlesnakes."

The Monument Fire blazing across southern Arizona, like the Horseshoe Fire of last year, was “man-caused” and started in an area known for "high-intensity, drug- and human-smuggling,” Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever, who is also a co-chair of BorderSheriffs.com, told reporters this week at a news conference (video).

"It wasn't the rabbits or the rattle snakes that started this fire, it was human beings, and the only human beings believed to be occupying (the area) were smugglers…there’s nothing to suggest it was anything else.”  Sen. John McCain backed up his comments earlier this week. 

Serving as Sheriff since 1996, Larry Dever patrols a county of 6,200 square miles which shares more than 83 miles of border with Mexico. Dever is currently on location at the wildfire command post near the border.