Cal Fire Arrests Suspect Linked to 225-Acre Dove Fire Near Yosemite
Cal Fire has arrested a suspect accused of recklessly causing the Dove Fire near Yosemite National Park, the agency announced Monday.
Jacob Williams Hoskins, 30, of Sonora, was arrested Sunday in Tuolumne County, about 60 miles east of Stockton, after he was linked to the vegetation fire that burned 225 acres over the weekend.
The Dove Fire broke out just before 3 p.m. Sunday southwest of Sonora, prompting evacuations and road closures. Crews were able to halt forward spread Sunday afternoon, and as of Tuesday morning, the blaze is 25% contained.
The Dove Fire comes just a week after the Little Fire burned more than 1,000 acres in Alameda County, as dry, hot summer conditions set in across Northern California. The Bay Area is expected to heat up through the weekend, with temperatures peaking Saturday in the interior East Bay and North Bay, and meteorologists are urging people to be careful not to throw a spark, since fires could spread quickly during the warm spell.
Cal Fire said Hoskin’s arrest in connection to the Tuolumne blaze came after an extensive investigation, involving its Tuolumne-Calaveras and Madera-Mariposa-Merced units, as well as the Sonora Police Department and Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office. According to the county sheriff’s Facebook page, Hoskins was recognized by local law enforcement from images taken of the fire, which showed a suspect wearing a distinctive straw hat.
The Tuolumne County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether it has charged or plans to charge Hoskins with any crimes.