Updated Old Fire In Stanislaus National Forest
FRESNO, Calif. Mariposa County Resident John “Jack” Welch has agreed to pay $950,000 to settle a claim by the US against him for damages resulting from a 2016 wildfire that burned nearly 100 acres of National Forest land.
According to the settlement, federal investigators concluded that a worn chainsaw was the cause of the fire, it was being used on a windy day and sparked the blaze that spread quickly off Old Yosemite Road in Mariposa County. 100 acres in total were burned including 95 acres of Stanislaus National Forest
The USDA Forest service spent nearly 1.3 million to extinguish the Old Fire, including the use of substantial air assets that helped prevent the fire spread into neighboring properties and the surrou