Dolan Fire Explained
Dolan Fire |
Location: | Big Sur, California |
Reference: | [1] |
Total Area: | 128050acres |
Cause: | Arson[2] |
Injuries: | 15 |
Buildings: | 14[3] |
Pushpin Map: | USA California |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the Dolan Fire |
The Dolan Fire was a large wildfire that burned in the Big Sur region and other parts of the Santa Lucia mountain range in Monterey County, California, in the United States as part of the 2020 California wildfire season. The fire began at approximately 8:15 p.m. on August 18, 2020. On September 8, 15 firefighters were injured, one critically,[4] [5] when they were forced to deploy emergency fire shelters at Nacimiento Station.[6] Ten adult California condors and two chicks died in the blaze, which began about a mile south of the Big Sur Condor Sanctuary in Monterey County.[7] The nonprofit Ventana Wildlife Society of Monterey lost a sanctuary that has been used to release the captive-bred condors into the wild since 1997. While no people or condors were at the 80acres site, a research building, pens, and other facilities were destroyed.[8]
The fire burned parts of the Ventana Wilderness, Fort Hunter Liggett,[9] along Nacimiento-Fergusson Road,[10] and forced the closure of many area state parks as well as a section of California State Route 1.[11] As of December 31, 2020, the fire has been fully contained.[1] According to the D.A, the estimated cost of fighting the fire was $63 million.[12] The fire also destroyed the USFS Nacimiento Ranger Station.
During winter storms following the fire, entire sections of the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road were washed away, and it has remained closed since then. In January 2022, U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta announced that he had obtained $126 million in Federal Highway Administration funds to repair the road and rebuild the USFS Nacimiento Ranger Station destroyed in the blaze. This includes replacing the fire station, barracks, engine garage and pumphouse, along with some site utilities, such as a water well, solar connections and access roads.[13]
The Dolan fire was started by arson,[14] and Ivan Gomez was arrested in connection with the fire and convicted of arson subsequent to his confession.[15] Gomez claimed he lit the fire to hide five murders, but his mental competency, the true intentionality of the arson, and the actual existence of bodies were put in question.[16] On September 23, 2020, a judge ruled that he was competent to stand trial.[17] He was convicted in April 2022 of 16 felony counts, including arson and cruelty to animals.[18] In May 2022, he was sentenced to 24 years in state prison.
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Dolan Fire . InciWeb . September 13, 2020 . September 13, 2020 . September 11, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200911204019/https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018/ . live .
- News: Ives . Mike . 2022-05-20 . Man Gets 24 Years for Starting Wildfire That Killed California Condors . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-05-20 . 0362-4331 . 2022-05-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220520093458/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/20/us/california-condors-dolan-fire.html/ . live .
- News: Garibay . Cassandra . Dolan Fire near Big Sur passes 100,000 acres, 14 structures destroyed . 14 September 2020 . The Tribune . 10 September 2020.
- Web site: Allen . Rob . Statement Regarding Shelter Deployment . InciWeb . 14 September 2020 . 8 September 2020 . 8 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200908205657/https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/7018/55234/ . live .
- Web site: BIG SUR DOLAN FIRE RELIEF FUND. Community Association of Big Sur. 19 September 2020. 19 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200919165307/https://mailchi.mp/cpoabigsur/big-sur-dolan-fire-relief-fund-2705432?e=a0fae30711. live.
- News: McIntyre . Ashton . 15 firefighters injured during shelter deployment while battling the Dolan Fire . 14 September 2020 . KSBY . 8 September 2020 . 11 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200911055941/https://www.ksby.com/weather/fire-watch/15-firefighters-injured-during-shelter-deployment-situation-while-battling-the-dolan-fire . live .
- News: Carlson. Cheri. California condor population suffers worst year in decades after deadly wildfire. 2021-07-15. Ventura County Star. en-US. 2021-07-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20210715130434/https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2021/07/13/california-condor-population-struggles-after-its-deadliest-wildfire/5354731001/. live.
- News: Fate of California condors unknown after sanctuary burns. 2020-08-26. NBC News. Associated Press. en. 2020-08-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20200826172503/https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/fate-california-condors-unknown-after-sanctuary-burns-n1238175. live.
- News: Dolan Fire breaches Fort Hunter Liggett, 3 firefighters injured . 15 September 2020 . Paso Robles Daily News . 9 September 2020 . 23 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200923201139/https://pasoroblesdailynews.com/dolan-fire-breaches-fort-hunter-liggett-3-firefighters-injured/114011/ . live .
- News: Dickinson . Laura . Dolan Fire near Big Sur grows more than 2,400 acres overnight . 15 September 2020 . San Luis Obispo Tribune . 12 September 2020 . 14 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200914114552/https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/california/fires/article245686785.html . live .
- News: Forgione . Alex . Reynolds . Christopher . Highway 1, 30 state parks and 18 national forests in California now closed: What you need to know . 15 September 2020 . Los Angeles Times . 9 September 2020 . 15 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200915040258/https://www.latimes.com/travel/story/2020-09-09/california-national-forests-close-fire-risk . live .
- Web site: Solis . Nathan . 2022-05-20 . Man sentenced to 24 years for setting Big Sur wildfire that killed 12 endangered condors . 2022-05-22 . Los Angeles Times . en-US . 2022-05-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220522041021/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-05-20/man-sentenced-to-24-years-for-setting-big-sur-wildfire-that-killed-12-endangered-condors . live .
- Web site: Remote Calif. fire station destroyed by Dolan Fire to be rebuilt . FireRescue1 . 21 July 2023 . en . 21 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230721003552/https://www.firerescue1.com/legislation-funding/articles/remote-calif-fire-station-destroyed-by-dolan-fire-to-be-rebuilt-he4aar8VqrGrj9gQ/ . live .
- News: Shalev . Asaf . Arson arrest near Dolan Fire origin points to 'cartel-style' cannabis grow . 14 September 2020 . . 27 August 2020 . 13 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200913170642/https://www.montereycountyweekly.com/news/cover_collections/arson-arrest-near-dolan-fire-origin-points-to-cartel-style-cannabis-grow/article_f7c408fc-e7dd-11ea-9a01-4f0cd76412ef.html . live .
- News: Szydlowski . Joe . Monterey County deputies arrested arson suspect in 113,000-acre Big Sur fire . 14 September 2020 . The Californian . 19 August 2020 . 16 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200916022422/https://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/2020/08/19/california-deputies-arrest-arson-suspect-dolan-fire-big-sur/5609484002/ . live .
- Web site: Cimini. Kate. Man who claims he lit Dolan Fire to hide murders undergoing mental health evaluation. 2020-09-20. The Salinas Californian. en-US. 2020-10-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20201031070202/https://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/2020/09/18/california-wildfires-dolan-fire-arson-murders-mental-health-evaluation/5825074002/. live.
- News: Duan . Mary . Suspect accused of sparking the massive Dolan Fire is found competent to stand trial. . October 9, 2020 . Monterey County Weekly . September 23, 2020 . October 5, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201005193811/https://www.montereycountyweekly.com/blogs/suspect-accused-of-sparking-the-massive-dolan-fire-is-found-competent-to-stand-trial/article_33850552-fdba-11ea-bf4b-fbc71d227de0.html . live .
- News: Smith . Hayley . 2022-04-08 . Man convicted of setting Big Sur wildfire that killed 12 endangered condors . en-US . Los Angeles Times . 2022-04-10 . 2022-04-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220410041816/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-04-08/dolan-fire-arson . live .