Suspected arsonist wanted to play hero

After two years of offending at the Sylvan Dale Ranch near Loveland, the 49-year-old man accused of arson in the Alexander Mountain fire may have wanted to play the hero, according to an arrest affidavit.

Jason Hobby was arrested earlier this month in connection with the Larimer County wildfire that burned nearly 10,000 acres and caused more than $30 million in damage to private and public properties, according to Larimer County officials.

The fire, which burned for more than two weeks, destroyed 29 homes and 21 outbuildings and damaged another four homes. Crews had the flames completely under control by August 17.

Among the destroyed land was 1,240 acres that the owners of the Sylvan Dale Ranch wanted to donate to the Heart-J Center for Experimental Learning – an education-based nonprofit – researchers said.

A manager at the Heart-J Center told investigators that Hobby was an outspoken opponent of the plan, saying the 49-year-old told colleagues that “things would go better if the Heart-J Center blew up.”

According to court records, Hobby is charged with arson, criminal threats, impersonating a public servant, false imprisonment and two counts of impersonating a police officer.

During interviews, a ranch employee told investigators that Hobby played an “integral role” in escorting professional firefighters to the Cedar Park area during the Alexander Mountain fire and that he was “concerned that Hobby created this incident to to position himself as a hero in the battle. eyes of staff following his recent disciplinary work history,” according to an arrest affidavit from the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.

Hobby also sent colleagues multiple videos of him being in restricted areas while dressed in a mock firefighter uniform with a Twin Buttes Fire Protection District and Wildland Management patch, investigators said in the affidavit. The Twin Buttes Fire Protection District does not exist.

In the videos, Hobby entered evacuated buildings and restricted areas to provide updates on damage and the direction the fire was moving, investigators said.

The ranch property owners previously promoted Hobby to safety officer two years ago, the affidavit said. He began wearing a uniform and added emergency lights to his personal vehicle to conduct traffic checks.

According to the affidavit, Hobby has gotten into trouble over the past two years for harassing and bullying Sylvan Dale Ranch staff, intimidating guests and “often” pulling weapons on people entering the property.

In one incident in March 2023, two brothers visited the Sylvan Dale Ranch to photograph bighorn sheep, which were migrating across the property, investigators said in the affidavit.

The pair told sheriff’s officials that Hobby pulled up next to them as they were setting up camera equipment outside their car, got out of the car wearing a uniform with patches and insignia similar to a law enforcement officer and pointed a gun at them.

Hobby told the two they were under arrest for trespassing, but eventually let them go, according to the affidavit. Both brothers told investigators they thought Hobby was law enforcement and that they were going to be shot.

According to the affidavit, Hobby was relieved of security duties in July 2024 after the owners became aware of the repeated incidents.

The 49-year-old self-proclaimed “brand manager” of the Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch also lied to the owners about being a firefighter from Wyoming, investigators said in the affidavit. He told the owners that on his days off he would travel from the ranch to Wyoming – about a three-hour drive – to work as a firefighter.