The embers “had been placed in a bucket directly next to the garage,” sparking the April 12 fire at a Beech Road residence, Police Chief Dean Ackermann said earlier this week.
Responding police and firefighters found the homeowner trying to douse the blaze with a garden hose, the chief said.
Firefighters from Fair Lawn and Hawthorne provided mutual aid.
No injuries were reported.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Highland Lakes-Vernon and receive free news updates.