MARIPOSA—CAL FIRE Law Enforcement Officers arrested 71-year-old Edward Fredrick Wackerman on Friday, June 16, 2023, in Mariposa County. Through an extensive investigation, Wackerman, a local Mariposa resident, has been identified as the suspect responsible for igniting the Oak fire in July 2022. The Oak fire occurred in the Midpines area in Mariposa County. The Oak fire burned 19,244 acres of ...

OAKHURST–In conjunction with California Wildfire Preparedness Week, The First Annual Wildfire Safety Saturday will be taking place this weekend in Oakhurst. Several local agencies and organizations will be present, and participants will have the opportunity to receive information on a variety of issues related to wildfires. WHEN: Saturday, May 6th, 2023 10:00 am to 4:00 pm WHERE: Enterprise Parking Lot ...

SACRAMENTO–Wildfire Preparedness Week is May 1 – 7, 2023. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and our partner agencies will host five statewide events throughout the week to raise awareness of what individuals and communities can do to help protect against the threat of wildfires. By preparing well in advance of a wildfire and taking steps ...

MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES—The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit (MMU) has announced effective at 8 a.m. Monday, May 1 all hazard reduction burning in Mariposa and Madera Counties will require a CAL FIRE burn permit. For piles larger than 4×4, residents can obtain an LE-5 burn permit from any local CAL FIRE station. MADERA COUNTY Will ...

SACRAMENTO– The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is proud to announce that $142.6 million has been awarded for statewide investments in projects intended to enhance carbon storage while restoring the health and resilience of existing and recently burned forests throughout California. CAL FIRE’s Forest Health Program announced today that it awarded 27 grants (link to project ...

SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is announcing the availability of up to $5.5 million in grant funding for Forest Health Research projects. CAL FIRE is soliciting applications for research in forest health and wildland fire science critical to the State of California that support landowners, resource agencies, fire management organizations, and decision-makers throughout the state. ...

COARSEGOLD–A vegetation fire has been reported in the Coarsegold area near Road 415 and Rivercrest Road. Ground and air crews are battling the fire at this time. No structures are threated, no evacuations are in progress and roads are open at this time. We will update this article as more information is available. This is the Springs Fire.   Update ...

MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES–The fall season in the Motherlode area of the Sierra Nevada Mountains often brings relief in the form of cooler temperatures, shorter days and an end to fire season. For Mariposa and Eastern Madera Counties this is not the case just yet. The Fork Fire and several lightning caused fires in Yosemite National Park continue to burn in and ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY–The Oak Fire has been burning in the communities of Midpines, Jerseydale, Mariposa Pines and Lushmeadows has been burning for almost a week. It has scorched over 19,000 acres and destroyed 77 residences. Firefighters and support teams continue to battle this fast moving fire and keep it away from homes and infrastructure. The fire is being managed under unified ...

Roger Kenneth Mitchell March 22, 1938  – July 14, 2022 Roger Kenneth Mitchell was born March 22, 1938 in Waukegan, IL, and went to be with his Lord on July 14, 2022, aboard the cruise ship Ruby Princess while docked in Juneau, AK. Spending his youth in Trona, CA, Roger spent many hours exploring the surrounding mountains and desert near ...