MADERA COUNTY — After less than three years behind bars, Kenneth Jackson, who was convicted in 2014 of setting dozens of fires in the Yosemite Lakes Park area, has been referred to the Board of Parole Hearings for a parole review. Jackson, now 44, of Coarsegold, was convicted on May 1, 2014, of 21 counts of arson and 1 count ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY — The Detwiler Fire did not “lay down” overnight and give firefighters the chance to make substantial progress. Instead it blew up to over 45,000 acres with only 7 percent containment, so the day shift had their work cut out for them. Shortly after 8 a.m., the fire made a hard push toward Coulterville and Greeley Hill on ...

CENTRAL SIERRA – With the ominous threat of the Detwiler Fire, attention to wildland firefighting has been heightened for many residents in the foothills and mountain area. We all see the engines, dozers, water tenders and crews rolling in to fight these fires, but perhaps the most spectacular sight from any vantage point the public may have is the work ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY — The Detwiler Fire, now over 45,000 acres, is making a run toward Coulterville and Greeley Hill. The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office has just issued an evacuation order for the following areas: Greeley Hill Road from Dogtown Road in Coulterville to Dogtown Road near Bowers Cave in Greeley Hill All roads between Greeley Hill Road and Texas Hill ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY — As firefighters prepare for another hard day on the firelines, the residents of Mariposa are holding their breath. Overnight, the fire nearly doubled in size to 45,724 acres with just 7 percent containment, and continues its relentless advance on the historic town. More than 1,500 homes are threatened, 8 have been destroyed and 1 damaged. There are currently ...

O’NEALS — Firefighters responded to a vegetation fire in O’Neals up behind the Ponderosa Telephone Company this morning. Just before 8:30 a.m., reports came in of a fire off Road 200 near Lilly Mine Way. The first unit at scene reported the fire at about five acres, burning in open grass land with a moderate rate of spread. Nine engines, ...

MADERA COUNTY — When you buy a piece of property and plan to build a home, you may want to first put up a shop or storage building. Until now, that has been illegal in Madera County. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors voted 3-0 to amend Ordinance 18.04.015 to allow for the construction of one accessory structure on a ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY — Firefighters worked throughout the night to slow the progress of the Detwiler Fire, now estimated at 45,724 acres with just 7 percent containment. More than 10,000 people are currently without power, and thousands have been evacuated. Firefighters are focusing their efforts on protecting the town of Mariposa. The fire has jumped the Merced River near the Bagby ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY — The Detwiler Fire made a major run today, forcing residents from their homes and prompting the evacuation of the town of Mariposa. It also challenged fire officials as aircraft were called away to other fires in the region, and there never seemed to be enough resources to get the job done, despite their best efforts. The fire ...

MARIPOSA — With fire officials struggling for enough resources to adequately fight the Detwiler Fire now threatening Mariposa, one may wonder why there aren’t more VLATs (Very Large Air Tankers) available to knock this thing down. On July 17, CBSNews posted the following story about a massive firefighting aircraft  — a converted Boeing 747 jet, nicknamed the SuperTanker — and ...