How did the Washburn Fire start in Yosemite National Park? Investigators need help
The National Park Service is seeking the public’s help to find out how the Washburn Fire started July 7 inside Yosemite National Park.
The wildfire had grown to 4,822 acres as of Saturday morning with the containment at 37%.
The wildfire was started near the Washburn Trail in the Mariposa Grove area in the southern boundary of Yosemite National Park in central California.
More than 1,500 firefighters have been deployed on the fire, including 36 ground crews, 99 engines and 14 firefighting helicopters, as well as airplanes dropping fire-retardant chemicals where they are needed.
There was no lightning on the day that the fire started, according to Yosemite National Park Superintendent Cicely Muldoon, and it appears the fire was caused by people.
But the cause of the wildfire remains under investigation, incident managers say.
Investigators ask anyone who was in the Mariposa Grove area to contact the NPS Investigative Services Branch: call or text 888-653-0009; email nps_isb@nps.gov; or online go.nps.gov/SubmitATip.
This story was originally published July 15, 2022 at 3:30 PM.
