MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. – A California man has been taken into custody in connection to the massive “Oak Fire” that swept through Yosemite National Park in July 2022. The blaze was originally attributed to climate change by many Democrats, including California Sen. Alex Padilla, according to the Post Millennial.
Following an investigation that lasted nearly a year, 71-year-old Edward Fredrick Wackerman was arrested on June 16. Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese said the fires were “deliberately set” and “not accidental.” He noted that Wackerman became a suspect early on in the investigation, and investigators were finally able to collect sufficient evidence to make an arrest.
Meanwhile, as investigators were searching for the truth, Padilla, used the calamity as an opportunity to push his environmental agenda. The state senator wrote on Twitter last summer, “Worsening drought and severe weather will only continue to put lives and property at risk from wildfire if we don’t take climate action NOW.”
During a press conference in June, Mariposa County District Attorney Walter Wall disclosed that Wackerman was charged with one count of aggravated arson and three forest land felonies, including arson that caused great bodily injury and arson that caused damage to an inhabited dwelling.
The accused arsonist faces up to life in prison if he’s convicted, the Post Millennial reported.
According to the prosecutor, four separate fires had been “intentionally set” in Mariposa County, leading to the “Oak Fire,” which eventually torched nearly 19,000 acres and consumed 127 residential structures.
The massive blaze resulted in $8.3 million in property loss, and cost CalFire close to $100 million in response costs. There were many serious injuries from the combination of fires, but thankfully no lives were lost.
Wackerman first appeared before a judge on June 20 and was ordered to be held without bail. He is next scheduled to appear in court September 14.
