Two Sacramento-area men originally facing three felony charges for causing a small wildfire in the Nevada County forest land last fall are now almost completely off the legal hook. Deputy District Attorney Chris Walsh says, after further review of the evidence, the behavior of 60-year-old Mark Martucci and 32-year-old Jacob Smith was more negligent than reckless…

The men placed tannerite on a tree, which is a substance that explodes when shot with a bullet. Walsh says all three charges have been dismissed against Martucci, after it was determined he was merely present when the gun was fired. Smith pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor charge of negligence causing a fire. He says the original felony charges illustrate how serious prosecutors feel about the wildfire danger…

Neither men had any prior criminal history.