Officials have confirmed that the massive Rim Fire burning in and around Yosemite National Park was started by a hunter who let an illegal fire "escape," said the U.S. Forest Service on Thursday.
It was originally believed that the fire was started by a marijuana growing operation, but an U.S. Forest Service's investigation unit and the Tuolumne County district attorney's office concluded that the hunter is responisble for the wildfire. The hunter, who has been identified, has not been arrested and is name is being withheld pending further investigation, reports the LA Times.
The monstrous wildfire in Northern California has expanded over 237,341 acres, or 370 square miles, which is more than seven times the size of San Francisco, according to the U.S. Forest Service. More than 5,100 firefighters were fighting the flames at the blaze's peak while around 4,300 remained in the area Tuesday.
The Rim Fire, which began Aug. 17 in the Stanislaus National Forest and has since grown to become the fourth largest wildfire in California's history, has so far cost $72 million to fight. It has destroyed 111 buildings, including 11 residences, reports CBS News.
Speculation that marijuana growers were sparked the blazed emerged at a community meeting on Aug. 23 after Twain Harte Fire Chief Todd McNeal announced that officials "know it's human caused, there's no lightning in the area ... [We] highly suspect that it might be some sort of illicit grove, marijuana grow-type thing." His comments were captured in a 20-minute video posted on YouTube.
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