The trial of a woman accused of starting a wildfire in Teller County has been vacated after a court determined she is not competent to stand trial.
Seventy-seven-year-old Lacey Tillitt was charged with arson in connection with the Highland Lakes Fire, which broke out in October 2024. According to investigators, Tillitt was burning cardboard in her wood stove when a couch inside her home caught fire, leading to the wildfire.
The Highland Lakes Fire burned approximately 155 acres northwest of Divide and prompted evacuation orders for more than 700 homes in the area.
Following the competency ruling, the court ordered Tillitt to remain in custody while efforts are made to restore her competency so legal proceedings may resume at a later date.
