Authorities have apprehended a 71-year-old Mariposa County man, Edward Fredrick Wackerman, in connection with the destructive Oak Fire that ravaged over 19,000 acres and destroyed more than 125 homes near Yosemite National Park in July 2022. Wackerman faces multiple felony charges, including aggravated arson, arson causing great bodily injury, and arson causing damage or destruction of inhabited structures. The arrest was the result of a collaborative investigation involving multiple agencies, including Cal Fire, the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, the FBI, and the California Department of Justice.

The Oak fire moved through the Mariposa, California, area on July 23, 2022.

A press conference regarding the arrest is scheduled for Tuesday morning at the Mariposa County Courthouse. While details leading to the arrest haven't been released, the charges carry significant legal ramifications. Wackerman's legal representation remains unclear at this time.

A Billings 4AJ helicopter makes a water drop at the Oak fire near Mariposa, California, on July 26, 2022. 

This photo provided by the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office shows 71-year-old Edward Wackerman of Mariposa who was arrested Friday, June 16, 2023.

The Oak Fire, originating in the Midpines area near Yosemite, scorched 19,244 acres, destroying 127 homes and 66 outbuildings. Three firefighters sustained injuries battling the blaze, and thousands of residents were forced to evacuate. Cal Fire urges the public to remain alert and report any suspicious activity to their arson hotline, assuring anonymity for callers.

Charred remains of a home are left after the Oak fire raged through the mountains near Mariposa on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. 

Firefighters put out hotspots from the Oak fire along Darrah Road near Mariposa on Tuesday, July 26, 2022.