Washington fire in Jamestown was an accident, Cal Fire says. Airola fire cause unknown
The Washington fire, which destroyed 18 structures in Jamestown last month, was ignited accidentally, Cal Fire announced Monday.
The fire started Aug. 26 on the shoulder of Highway 108 near Golf Links Road in Jamestown, said Cal Fire Battalion Chief Matt Gilbert. While he’s determined the cause to be accidental, he would not elaborate on how exactly the blaze began. He said specifically that arson has been ruled out as a cause.
The fire spread into a subdivision north of the highway, where it destroyed 18 structures, at least 14 of which were homes. One person was found dead in the subdivision. The person’s identity and cause of death have not yet been released.
Victims of the fire said they had time to grab only a few personal items or pets before fleeing their homes. Some pets were killed in the fire.
The Washington fire burned 100 acres and took firefighters six days to achieve full containment. Suppression efforts cost $1.56 million. Cleanup is expected to cost Tuolumne County about $600,000, according to Cal Fire spokeswoman Emily Kilgore. She said the value of the burned properties has not been determined.
The cause of another fire that started around the same time in nearby Calaveras County remains under investigation, according to Gilbert.
The Airola fire burned 639 acres north of New Melones Lake and took 16 days to contain. Cal Fire estimated suppression costs are $1.83 million.
Cal Fire continues to investigate the Washington and Airola fires and encourages anyone who may have information about either fire to contact the San Andreas headquarters at 209-754-3831.
This story was originally published September 27, 2021 at 2:50 PM.
