The Soberanes Fire was started by an illegal, unattended campfire in Garrapata State Park, law enforcement and fire officials announced Tuesday.
The campfire was found at about 8:45am on July 22 in a closed-off area in the state park, where State Parks officials say there is no record of campers because camping is prohibited there. Cal Fire spokesman Jonathan Cox declined to comment on whether there were tents or other camping equipment near the fire, due to the ongoing investigation.
What officials did say, though, is that a group of hikers reported the fire. The group had to climb up the mountain to get reception and call 911. However, Cox could not say if the hikers who called it in are suspected of being the ones who started the campfire.
Details big and small are being sought by officials to continue the investigation into who was responsible for the wildfire that in a little over a week has grown to 43,400 acres, claimed the life of a dozer operator, and destroyed 57 homes and 11 outbuildings and damaged five other structures—not to mention that thousands of homes remain threatened by the flames.
Eric Abma, the acting superintendent of State Parks’ Monterey district, says that while there were park rangers working the perimeters in the entire Big Sur area the morning the fire started, there were no park rangers actively guarding Garrapata State Park.
“We had people in service, but no park rangers there,” Abma says.
Abma says it is unusual to see a campfire in the Garrapata State Park, but it has become a growing concern throughout state parks in Big Sur.
“We always take a look at our policies in events like this,” he adds.
While state, federal and local officials look for the people responsible for igniting that campfire, they are asking the public to call 1-800-468-4408 with any information that could help.
When, and if, the people who started the campfire are found, the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office will look into criminal charges and will take into consideration the damage done by the wildfire, as well as the death of 38-year-old bulldozer driver Robert Reagan.
“We will also look at the facts and see if it was not intentional, or arson,” District Attorney Dean Flippo said. “The investigation is very premature.”
For the Weekly’s full coverage of the Soberanes Fire, visit our incident page.