DENVER -- Two teens who started the Snaking Fire were sentenced to probation and community service Tuesday.

SNAKING FIRE SURVEY: Snaking Sentence Fair? SLIDESHOW: Getting It Under Control SLIDESHOW: Snaking Fire: Day 2 SLIDESHOW: Snaking Fire: Day 1 Role Of Air Tankers In Fire Fight RESOURCES U.S. Forest Service: Snaking Fire

The fire, which started on April 23, 2002, was the second of what turned out to be a very bad summer of fire. It scorched 2,312 acres and took 600 firefighters, air tankers and helicopters to contain.

The cost of fighting the Snaking Fire was estimated at $2.68 million.

During the weeklong blaze, more than 1,000 people were forced from their Bailey-area homes as a precaution. Fortunately, no homes were damaged.

Tyler Hancock, 15, and Eric Alderfer, 16, were found guilty of arson in February. Prosecutors said the teens ditched a morning class to climb a ridge behind the school to smoke Camel Lights.

The two Bailey High School students were sentenced to 2 years probation and 960 hours of community service for five felony and misdemeanor convictions. They must also undergo drug and alcohol treatment, attend family therapy, a fire safety course and write letters of apology to the victims of the fire.

The Park County judge sentencing them did not immediately address the issue of restitution.

A friend who had been smoking with them testified against them. He is scheduled to go to trial June 23.

The Snaking Fire was the second wildfire of the 2002 season in Colorado. On April 18, the Topaz Fire forced the evacuation of the Windy Peak Outdoor Lab near Bailey.

During the destructive fire season last year, 4,600 fires burned a record 619,029 acres in Colorado.