OAKHURST— CAL FIRE Law Enforcement Investigators, in conjunction with the Madera County Sheriff’s Department and Madera County District Attorney’s Office, have arrested Pao Xiong. Xiong was arrested for igniting approximately 14 separate fires, including multiple structures that occurred on Deadwood Mountain in Oakhurst, CA. The fires occurred on Friday, July 19, 2024, beginning at approximately 10:43 PM. For more details ...

OAKHURST— CAL FIRE Law Enforcement Officers are currently investigating the Lookout fire that occurred on Deadwood Mountain in Oakhurst, CA. The fire happened on Friday, July 19, 2024, at approximately 10:43 PM. The cause Of the fire is currently under investigation by CAL FIRE Law Enforcement Officers and Madera County Sheriffs Department. On Saturday, August 3, 2024, and Monday, August ...

OAKHURST— CAL FIRE Law Enforcement Officers are currently investigating the Lookout fire that occurred on Deadwood Mountain in Oakhurst, CA. The fire occurred on Friday, July 19, 2024, at approximately 10:43 PIM. The Lookout fire is contained and controlled and burned a total of approximately 11 acres. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by CAL FIRE Law ...

MARIPOSA—California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Law Enforcement Officers arrested 31-year-old Gino Galileo Luciani on Wednesday, July 12th, 2023, in Mariposa County. Through an extensive investigation, Luciani was identified as the suspect responsible for igniting a vegetation fire on July 12th, 2023. The Ashworth Fire occurred in the Bootjack area in Mariposa County. The fire burned approximately ...

MADERA — After serving less than seven years of a 20-year sentence, convicted arsonist Kenneth Jackson is once again being considered for early parole — and the Madera County District Attorney is going on the record with her opposition to Jackson’s release and asking Madera County residents to voice their opinions, as well. Jackson was arrested along with his wife Alice ...

MADERA – The case of Kenneth Jackson, 46, who was sentenced to 30 years and 8 months in prison on Aug. 8, 2014, for 21 counts of arson, was back before a judge this morning for resentencing after the Fifth District Court of Appeal reversed 8 of the convictions due to “insufficient evidence.” Jackson was arrested along with his wife ...

FRESNO – The couple convicted of starting numerous fires in the Yosemite Lakes Park (YLP) community and surrounding area in 2013 has won a partial victory as some of their convictions have been reversed on appeal. However, Alice Waterman was released from prison on June 9, according to District Attorney David Linn, because she had served her time. Kenneth Jackson ...

TULARE COUNTY — District Attorney Tim Ward has announced criminal charges against four individuals for starting the Pier Fire by burning a stolen car. The Pier Fire charred nearly 37,000 acres east of Springville, Calif., from Aug. 29 to Sept 24. Isiac Renteria, 19, Richard Renteria, 21, Osvaldo Esparza-Guerrero, 20, and Breane Ojeda, 21, were arrested on Oct. 24. All ...

MADERA COUNTY — When Michael Lapschies was sentenced on Sept. 26 to 12 years in prison for lighting a series of fires in the Bass Lake area in 2015, and making threats against his ex-wife Amanda Skye-Ritchie, she was not at all satisfied that he would actually serve anywhere near the term imposed by the Bass Lake Superior Court. On ...

MADERA COUNTY — The Coarsegold woman convicted in 2014 of arson and conspiracy for a string of fires in the Yosemite Lakes Park area has been denied parole. On Sept. 1, the Madera County District Attorney’s Office filed an opposition to the pending parole release of Alice Waterman, age 50, from the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla. Waterman was ...