MARIPOSA – California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) investigators have determined the cause of the Detwiler fire. The discharge of firearms, on public lands, is responsible for sparking the fire. The specific circumstances surrounding the cause remain under investigation. Anyone with information regarding the person or persons responsible for starting the Detwiler fire is asked to contact ...

MADERA COUNTY  — Firefighters have been kept scrambling this afternoon and evening as a series of lightning fires were sparked across the valley floor and into the foothills. At this time, it appears that the forward progress of all of the nearly dozen fires has been stopped. At about 4:30 p.m., the first reports began coming in of multiple fires, ...

MADERA COUNTY — A weather cell moving across the valley and into the foothills between the 22 Mile House and O’Neals has sparked numerous lightning fires. Firefighters first responded to a fire near Ponderosa Telephone in O’Neals on Road 200 and Road 201. The fire was reported at about 4:30, and at 5:08 p.m., the fire was contained and engines ...

YOSEMITE — Residents of the areas surrounding Yosemite National Park may be seeing smoke from a lightning-caused fire inside the park. The Empire Fire was reported on the night of July 31, and is currently estimated at 147 acres. This fire is being managed for multiple objectives — both protection and resources, say park officials. The Empire Fire is approximately ...

YOSEMITE — After a long winter of heavy snowfall and delayed openings along Highway 120 (Tioga Pass), things are now bustling at Tuolumne Meadows. The Tuolumne Meadows Store is open daily from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., and the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge and Grill opened for the season on Tuesday, Aug. 1. The Hikers Bus and the Tuolumne Meadows Shuttle ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST — Firefighters are on scene of a fire on the Bass Lake Ranger District just east of Fish Camp. At about 11:40 a.m., reports came in of a vegetation fire about five miles east of Fresno Dome Campground toward Quartz Mountain trailhead, along Forest Road 6S10. The first unit at scene reported the Iron Fire at about ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY — Though the fire has long moved through the areas surrounding the town of Mariposa, the damage done by suppression efforts remains, and firefighters have now shifted into repair mode. One resident experienced first-hand today the reality that crews don’t just tear things up as they fight to save homes, they also return to repair any necessary damage. ...

MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Monday, July 24, to Sunday, July 30, 2017: Coarsegold theft On Monday, July 24 at 1:48 p.m. a deputy was dispatched to a call regarding a theft and vandalism. After several unsuccessful attempts to contact the reporting party by phone, the deputy met ...

TUOLUMNE COUNTY — One person is dead and another seriously injured after a single-vehicle accident near Sonora last week. Wayne Dubois, 82, and Artha Dubois, 79, both of Oakhurst, were eastbound on Highway 120 near Buck Meadows in a 1999 Chevrolet pickup at approximately 55 miles per hour, according to CHP. Artha Dubois was driving, and apparently lost control of ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY — Firefighters worked through the night hitting hot spots and patrolling the perimeter of the nearly-contained Detwiler Fire. The fire is still holding at 81,826 acres and is now 90 percent contained. As the Detwiler Fire is winding down from active fire suppression, fire managers will start the next phase of the control effort — Fire Suppression Repair. ...