Mariposa Man Accused Of Setting Last Year’s Oak Fire

Edward Fredrick Wackerman

Mariposa, CA – A 71-year-old Mariposa man has been arrested for sparking last year’s Oak Fire in Mariposa County and now faces multiple felony arson charges.

Edward Fredrick Wackerman was taken into custody this morning by CAL Fire law enforcement officers in Mariposa County.

“Through an extensive investigation, Wackerman, a local Mariposa resident, was identified as the suspect responsible for igniting the Oak fire in July 2022,” stated CAL Fire officials.

Wackerman faces multiple felony charges, including suspicion of aggravated arson, arson that causes great bodily injury, and arson causing damage or destruction of inhabited structures.

The Oak fire ignited on July 22nd in the Midpines area of Mariposa County and burned 19,244 acres of vegetation, 127 residential structures and 66 outbuildings, as detailed here. State fire officials added, “CAL Fire would like to take this opportunity to remind the public to be vigilant and report suspicious activity to authorities. If you see a suspicious person, vehicle, or any other activity prior to, during, or after a fire, take pictures, video recordings, and/or write down detailed information.”

Any person with information related to an arson fire is asked to contact the CAL FIRE Arson Hotline at (800) 468-4408, where callers can remain anonymous. This investigation and arrest were a collaborative effort between multiple agencies consisting of CAL FIRE Law Enforcement, Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, United States Forest Service (USFS) Law Enforcement, National Park Service Law Enforcement, Madera County District Attorney Investigators, Mariposa County District Attorney’s Office, California Department of Justice Attorney General’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).