Man accused of starting fire in Northern California that destroyed more than 100 houses

MARIPOSA, Calif. — After an extensive investigation, a man has been arrested in connection with the Oak Fire that destroyed over 100 houses last summer in Mariposa County, California, officials say.

>> Read more trending news

In a news release on Friday, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office said Edward Frederick Wackerman, 71, was identified during an investigation into the Oak Fire in July 2022. The blaze burned 19,244 acres of vegetation, 127 houses and 66 outbuildings.

The Oak Fire burned in Mariposa County in the Sierra Nevada, according to The Associated Press. It was one of multiple fires in Northern California last year.

Three firefighters were injured in the Oak Fire and around 6,000 people were told to evacuate, according to the AP.

The sheriff’s office said Wackerman is facing multiple charges including suspicion of aggravated arson, arson that causes great bodily injury, and arson causing damage or destruction of inhabited structures.

No details about what led to Wackerman’s arrest were provided, according to the AP.

The investigation consisted of multiple agencies working together including CAL FIRE Law Enforcement, Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, United States Forest Service (USFS) Law Enforcement, National Park Service Law Enforcement, Madera County District Attorney Investigators, Mariposa County District Attorney’s Office, California Department of Justice Attorney General’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the sheriff’s office said.