Cause Of Gate Fire Near Sonora Determined

Sonora, CA — CAL Fire investigators have determined what sparked a Tuesday afternoon fire just outside the City of Sonora that spurred evacuation warnings.

The Gate Fire burned 1.6 acres in an area near West Stockton Road and Mill Villa Court.

CAL Fire Assistant Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit Chief Andy Murphy relays that the cause was determined by investigators to be “equipment use,” and adds, “The responsible party was issued a citation for causing a fire and not having a spark arrestor.”

The fire ignited at around one o’clock and resulted in evacuation warnings for Golden Dove Lane and Silver Pine Drive. It was contained by arriving ground-fire resources, credited with working by hand to build a containment line around the fire, as all the Columbia Air Base aircraft were working the Pedro Fire in Mariposa County.  West Stockton Road was closed for an extended period for the firefighting efforts.