Dove Fire in Tuolumne County reaches full containment

Firefighters have fully contained the Dove Fire in Tuolumne County, bringing an end to a weeklong firefight that prompted mandatory evacuations near Sonora and Jamestown and led to the arrest of a man accused of starting the blaze.

Cal Fire said the fire reached 100% containment after burning 226 acres. All evacuation orders and warnings issued during the incident have since been lifted, and road closures related to the fire have been removed.

The Dove Fire broke out at about 2:48 p.m. on July 26 near Highway 108 and Mill Villa Road, southwest of downtown Sonora and northeast of Jamestown.

At its peak, the fire prompted mandatory evacuation orders and warnings for nearby neighborhoods as hundreds of firefighters, aided by air tankers and helicopters, worked to slow the flames. Fire officials reported two firefighters were injured during the response.

A dozen structures — a home, two commercial buildings and 9 minor structures — were destroyed while two others — a commercial building and a minor structure — were damaged, Cal Fire said.

Suspect accused of starting Dove Fire

Cal Fire arrested 30-year-old Jacob William Hoskins, of Sonora, on suspicion of recklessly causing a fire, the sheriff's office said Monday.

On Sunday, not long after the fire started, several people made reports to the sheriff's office that they saw a man wearing a straw hat running from the area. The sheriff's office said photos and video of the man then began circulating on social media. He was later identified as a local transient, known to area law enforcement. 

According to the sheriff's office, the suspect's name is Jacob William Hoskins. Deputies said they did not have enough probable cause to detain him when they first contacted him.

Cal Fire's Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit law enforcement soon gathered more information, and alongside a deputy who spoke to an associate of Hoskins, they were able to arrest him on suspicion of violating California Penal Code § 452(c) – recklessly causing a fire.

The sheriff's office said a deputy found Hoskins at Rotary Park in Sonora and also found the same clothing, including the straw hat seen in photos and videos, at the park.

"The vigilance of community members who promptly reported suspicious activity and captured photos and videos of Hoskins proved invaluable to the investigation and ultimately contributed to his identification and arrest," the sheriff's office said.

Federal assistance for firefighting effort

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday announced that California had secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to bolster the state's response to the Dove Fire. The grant allows local, state and tribal agencies to apply for 75% reimbursement of their costs of suppressing the fire.

Cal Fire said in its Dove Fire incident report that there were 484 total personnel responding to the fire as of Monday afternoon.