A teenager burned in a bush fire in Porter Creek last week says he's not angry with the person who threw a gas can onto the flames, seriously burning himself and two friends.

Dustin Huebschwerlen said today he recognizes that whoever threw the accelerant was not trying to hurt anyone.

"They didn't know that was going to happen,” he told the Star today from his Vancouver hotel room.

On Oct. 20, Huebschwerlen, along with Giles Jim and Jake Maynard, were part of a large group of friends gathered at a bonfire in the Hidden Lake area in Porter Creek when the large fireball lit all three boys' clothes on fire.

Huebschwerlen said he didn't see who tossed the can.

"We were on fire and I put myself out,” he said.

"(Jim) was still on fire, so we both helped put him out.”

A friend, who had just arrived by car, saw what had happened and drove the teens to Whitehorse General Hospital.

Both Huebschwerlen and Jim were later medevaced to B.C.'s Children's Hospital while Maynard stayed in Whitehorse to be treated for less serious burns.

Kala Smith, Jim's aunt, said earlier this week the 15-year-old suffered second-degree burns to 20 per cent of his body and a few smaller third-degree burns.

Huebschwerlen has second-degree burns on both his hands and burns on his face which doctors compare to "a really bad sunburn,” he said.

A student at Porter Creek Secondary School, Huebschwerlen celebrated his 14th birthday Monday by being released from hospital.

He has been staying with his father and brother in a hotel ever since, going to the hospital for frequent treatment.

His last burn bath — a treatment to remove dead skin from the injured area — is scheduled for this Monday.

"We're hoping to go home after that,” he said.

Meanwhile, a fund-raiser to help the families raised about $6,200 last night.

Brendan Kelly, the principal at Porter Creek Secondary School, where all three boys are students, estimates more than 100 people attended the event.

"Yukoners are a community that supports each other,” he said this morning. "When it comes to being sympathetic and understanding, there is no one better.”

The night included food as well as performances by local dance and music acts.

Organizer Kim Rumley said she wanted to thank all the acts as well as the cooks and volunteers who came out to help.

"It was a really big event, and there is no way we would have been able to pull it off on our own,” she said.

Kelly said the event was attended by parents, staff, school officials and students — including some who were at the fire the night the trio was burned.

The school is doing all it can to help those students, who are shaken after the event.

"We are talking to the kids who were there,” Kelly said. "We're telling them accidents sometimes happen, and hopefully they can learn something some this.”

Huebschwerlen said he has learned his lesson and hopes others can learn from the group's mistake.

"Don't build a fire using gas,” he said.

Smith said she would like to thank all the people who have helped and prayed for the boys since this happened, including hospital staff and particularly the person who drove them to the hospital.

Sgt. Tom Wyers of the Whitehorse RCMP said the incident is still being investigated.

No charges have been laid at this point.