FRESNO — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment on Thursday, charging Keith Matthew Emerald, 32, of Columbia, with starting a fire that eventually burned more than 250,000 acres, including large areas in the Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park, according to United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner and Pacific Southwest Regional Forester Randy Moore.

MADERA COUNTY – The Madera County Sheriff’s Office is holding open enrollment for teens between the ages 14 and 20, who may be interested in signing up for the department’s Explorer Program. The Explorer program teaches its members the basics, which include: Police radio techniques, patrol procedures, domestic calls, vehicle stops, bomb threat response, first emergency responder scenarios, arrest and ...

NORTH FORK – Local Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary member Ginger Foust is organizing a sign painting party before and after the Town Hall Meeting on Thursday night, to show the community’s appreciation for all the men and women fighting the French Fire.

MADERA COUNTY – Madera County Master Gardeners are recruiting new members for the class of 2015. Online applications are now being accepted through the end of August. Those who apply will be personally invited to attend an informational meeting on Sept. 18 at the Madera State Center Community College campus, where they will meet local Master Gardeners and sign up ...

MADERA COUNTY – Madera County Master Gardeners are recruiting new members for the class of 2015. Online applications are now being accepted through the end of August. Those who apply will be personally invited to attend an informational meeting on Sept. 18 at the Madera State Center Community College campus, where they will meet local Master Gardeners and sign up ...

Written by guest columnist Roger Maybee of Firewise Madera County Are you ready to evacuate? You? Your family? Your neighbors? Can your home withstand a wildfire? Embers falling on your roof? Embers flying into your attic from miles away? Yes, from MILES away! If your answer is “No” or “I don’t know,” then your home is NOT Firewise.

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Firefighters had their work cut out for them on the northern zones of the French Fire today. Fire activity was moderate until about 2 p.m., but as the wind and topography aligned, activity picked up and the fire began exhibiting extreme behavior and rapid rates of spread. Residents living in the community of Arnold Meadow were ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – As the day shift gathered for their morning briefing on the French Fire at 0600, the smoke was probably heavier than on any morning since the fire started on Monday. But mother nature cooperated, the inversion lifted, and helicopters were able to lift off from the Incident Command Post/Heliport in North Fork by mid afternoon.

NORTH FORK – District 5 Supervisor Tom Wheeler has rescheduled his North Fork Town Hall meeting, originally set for Thursday, July 31. The new date will be Thursday, Aug. 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. The location remains the same, the North Fork Rancheria Community Center, 56900 Kuhugib Road. The Town Hall schedule for the rest of 2014 is the ...

MADERA COUNTY – The United States Academic Decathlon has announced the 2014-2015 Academic Decathlon theme is New Alternatives in Energy: Ingenuity and Innovation. This year’s Super Quiz topic will include questions based on six subject areas including art, economics, literature, music, science and social science.