Seems like they're not entirely sure that a hunter started it, but that they're mostly ruling out marijuana plantations just because of the logistics of trying to grow in the area. Although, from the way the first paragraph is written, it sounds like they have a specific person in mind, so maybe they have more evidence than they're letting on or it just didn't make it into the article. A hunter started the Cedar Fire in San Diego County back in '03, so maybe that's where they're drawing conclusions from.

toxo wrote:STFU OK, the whole thing is way more fantastical if the culprit has drugs or guns!

Most hunters I know have guns.

Species8472 wrote:

toxo wrote:STFU OK, the whole thing is way more fantastical if the culprit has drugs or guns!

Most hunters I know have guns.

It was bow hunting season. We don't know much about the hunter yet, but deer bow-hunting season opened on the same day the fire started (close enough, anyway). Illegal campfire is cited as cause.

Does anybody know the smoke conditions around mammoth?

Im hoping to head to convict lake tomorrow to do some peaks, but will only go if the conditions are reasonable.

The signs along 395 all say that Tioga Pass has reopened to through traffic.

North shore of Hetch Hetchy has started to burn

They have now declared the Rim fire 100% contained:
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/1 ... -2-months/

fedak wrote:They have now declared the Rim fire 100% contained:
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/1 ... -2-months/

I went to Yosemite a month ago and saw a lot of the devistation. Depressing. I know 50 to 100 years from now most of the area will be as vibrant as ever. BUT some of the area has so much granite that I don't believe growth will happen. I camped at Cherry Lake for years and that area I know was leveled. Contemplated going and taking a look. On the other hand it might be too depressing, maybe just don't go. My kids grew up there each summer for 12 years or so.

I'm happy most folks didn't lose their homes and the communities were saved! Everyone involved who fought that fire is to be thanked!!

fedak wrote:I know 50 to 100 years from now most of the area will be as vibrant as ever. BUT some of the area has so much granite that I don't believe growth will happen. I camped at Cherry Lake for years and that area I know was leveled. Contemplated going and taking a look. On the other hand it might be too depressing, maybe just don't go. My kids grew up there each summer for 12 years or so.

There are some areas that may well never recover because they burned so severely--it's a total moonscape in places. In other places the fire burned at low severity and had the effect of a controlled burn, and will be highly beneficial in preventing future fires from crowning. Some of the areas that burned in western Yosemite contained forests that were not to be believed--some of the best remaining mixed conifer forest left in the Sierra Nevada, containing many ponderosa pines, sugar pines, white fir and Douglas-fir up to 4-6 feet in diameter. That stuff won't be recreated within a century, if ever.

I had 20 long term forest research plots in the Park damaged or destroyed, between Hetch Hetchy and the Valley. Will not know the extent until they allow us back in there, when the tree fall hazard has subsided, hopefully next year.

Yesterday sent the following email to a Sacramento Bee news reporter. Hopefully they take some action.

==================================

Am wondering why after 3 months now there has still not been an update from the US Forest Service on their investigation into the cause of the Rim Fire beyond their initial statements it was started by a hunters campfire? There was considerable activity on web boards in September after the basic information release that left a long list of questions unanswered. Some working for the forest service elsewhere stated they probably did not want to release many details until their investigation was properly performed. Understandable at the time. Newspapers across the state and nation and certainly many local Sierra foothill country local residents were wondering among a list of questions:

•WHO was the hunter?
•What were the details of what he did?
•Was the hunter's fire illegal in any way?
•If he is not going to be arrested what are Tuolumne County, the state of California, and the USFS
reasons for not doing so?
•If the campfire was illegal, what does the USFS do to discourage such activities?

Some have been wondering if the hunter is connected to either the USFS and or Tuolumne County and that if so they may be protecting the person from public exposure regardless of what they might have illegally done, hoping the news media will not ask any more questions. You and I and the rest of California are due some answers.

Would be interesting to see if they respond with anything.

http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/D ... 039099.php

DA: Yosemite fire starter to face federal charges

A hunter who started the wildfire that tore through Yosemite National Park and the Sierra foothills this year is expected to face federal charges, said the district attorney of Tuolumne County, where the blaze ignited.

Michael Knowles said on his office's website that the U.S. Attorney's Office has indicated it will charge the suspect, who has not been identified. He said federal attorneys will lead the prosecution because they have greater resources. (more at the link)

http://www.co.tuolumne.ca.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=92

The primary investigation of the cause of the “Rim” fire is and has been for some time completed. The cause, origin, and responsible(s) are known. Federal Prosecutors have privately declared intention to prosecute. Potential accountability in the Federal System far exceeds that which is available in the post-realignment (AB109) California System. Tuolumne County Prosecutors and the People of Tuolumne County await just conclusion in the Federal System. Questions should be directed to the United States Attorney’s Office in Fresno California.

RF Restoration planning webinar, recorded yesterday:
https://uc-d.adobeconnect.com/_a8414223 ... ode=normal

Warning: typical Forest Service meeting--lots of jargony talk but little useful information--but there are some good pictures and graphics in the first 20 minutes or so.

QITNL wrote:... Tuolumne County Prosecutors and the People of Tuolumne County await just conclusion in the Federal System. Questions should be directed to the United States Attorney’s Office in Fresno California.

Thanks QITNL for that useful info. Email in the above post obviously stirred some reporter questions across their newspaper grapevine that made the county people show their hand. If the feds continue to keep quiet, we may need to do this again but to that Fresno US attorney's office. The advantage of directing such questions to a newspaper reporter versus just sending a personal letter to any of these government offices is that a peon's correspondence is likely to be ignored or given a quick lame excuse, while any media reporter will scare them. Their silence makes one wonder if the hunter is in fact one of their own USFS people and they hope the media will just go to sleep on this, not asking any more questions.

David Senesac
http://www.davidsenesac.com

Did the reporter respond to you David?

Sooner or later that name is going to be public knowledge. Unusual for them to withhold something like that, and they can't do if forever.