{"id":25359,"date":"2024-03-09T10:40:40","date_gmt":"2024-03-09T10:40:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rideoutlaw.com\/?p=25359"},"modified":"2024-03-05T22:47:19","modified_gmt":"2024-03-05T22:47:19","slug":"arson-laws-in-arizona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rideoutlaw.com\/es\/arson-laws-in-arizona\/","title":{"rendered":"Arson Laws in Arizona"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arson Laws in Arizona<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Arson is a very serious crime regardless of where it is committed. With its particularly dry climate, arson committed in Arizona can have particularly damaging consequences.<\/p>\n

Arson occurs when a person knowingly and deliberately starts a fire or creates an explosion.<\/p>\n

The state of Arizona classifies arson into specific and individual crimes depending on the nature of the arson involved with each crime has its own penalties.<\/p>\n

In order to understand state laws surrounding arson, it is important to be aware of how Arizona defines the terms involved in arson crimes. These definitions are found in A.R.S. 13-1701<\/a>:<\/p>\n

“Damage<\/em><\/strong>” means any physical or visual impairment of any surface.<\/p>\n

“Occupied structure<\/em><\/strong>” means any structure\u2026in which one or more human beings either is or is likely to be present or so near as to be in equivalent danger at the time the fire or explosion occurs. The term includes any dwelling house, whether occupied, unoccupied, or vacant.<\/p>\n

“Property<\/em><\/strong>” means anything other than a structure which has value, tangible or intangible, public or private, real or personal, including documents evidencing value or ownership.<\/p>\n

“Structure<\/em><\/strong>” means any building, object, vehicle, watercraft, aircraft or place with sides and a floor, used for lodging, business, transportation, recreation or storage.<\/p>\n

“Wildland<\/em><\/strong>” means any brush covered land, cutover land, forest, grassland, or woods.<\/p>\n

These definitions are utilized in the various arson laws below:<\/p>\n

Reckless Burning<\/strong><\/h3>\n

According to A.R.S. 13-1702<\/a>, a person commits reckless burning by recklessly causing a fire or explosion which results in damage to an occupied structure, a structure, wildland, or property.<\/p>\n

Reckless burning is a class 1 misdemeanor, which can result in up to 6 months of incarceration.<\/p>\n

Arson of a Structure of Property<\/strong><\/h3>\n

According to A.R.S. 13-1703<\/a>, a person commits arson of a structure or property by knowingly and unlawfully damaging a structure or property by knowingly causing a fire or explosion.<\/p>\n

Arson of a structure is a class 4 felony. A first-time offender can be incarcerated for up to 3.75 years.<\/p>\n

Arson of a property with a value of more than $1000 is a class 4 felony. A first-time offender can be incarcerated for up to 3.75 years.<\/p>\n

Arson of a property with a value of more than $100 but less than $1000 is a class 5 felony. A first-time offender can be incarcerated for up to 2.5 years.<\/p>\n

Arson of a property valued at $100 or less is a class 1 misdemeanor, which can result in up to 6 months of incarceration.<\/p>\n

Arson of an Occupied Structure<\/strong><\/h3>\n

According to A.R.S. 13-1704<\/a>, a person commits arson of an occupied structure by knowingly and unlawfully damaging an occupied structure by knowingly causing a fire or explosion.<\/p>\n

Arson of an occupied structure is a class 2 felony. First-time offenders can find themselves incarcerated for up to 12.5 years.<\/p>\n

Arson of an Occupied Jail or Prison Facility<\/strong><\/h3>\n

According to A.R.S. 13-1705<\/a>, a person commits arson of an occupied jail or prison facility by knowingly causing a fire or explosion which results in physical damage to the jail or prison facility.<\/p>\n

Arson of an occupied jail or prison facility is a class 4 felony. This can result in incarceration of up to 3.75 years for a first-time offender.<\/p>\n

Burning of Wildlands<\/strong><\/h3>\n

According to A.R.S. 13-1706<\/a>, it is unlawful for any person, without lawful authority, to intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or with criminal negligence to set or cause to be set on fire any wildland other than the person’s own or to permit a fire that was set or caused to be set by the person to pass from the person’s own grounds to the grounds of another person.<\/p>\n

This statute does not apply to the following scenarios:<\/p>\n