BUTTERFLY, Calif. —
Nearly 3,000 firefighters and first responders have flooded the Sierra foothills of Mariposa County battling the explosive Oak firebut it is the guys in camouflage fatigues and surplus war vehicles that have most alarmed some evacuees and monitors of extremist groups.
As fire crews advanced Tuesday against a blaze that has burned through 18,000 hectares, destroyed 25 homes and forced thousands to flee their homes, the presence of a self-described militia whose members they distributed food and offered aid to evacuees has raised concern among some. .
Calling itself the Echo Company of the 2nd Regiment of the California State Militia, the group had recently set up a field kitchen on Highway 140 and told the Merced Sun-Star that it offered food, water and a place to stay for those in need. Online, the group posts videos of members training with rifles, shields and other gear, along with the group’s motto: “We, the ones who dare.”
The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office announced on Facebook Sunday that it had been “aware” of a local militia presence in the area. “We appreciate your efforts and any of the efforts of other groups or private entities that help our community,” the statement said.
The sun sets behind a ridge charred by the Elzina fire near Mariposa on Tuesday.
(Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
But those controlling the extremist groups questioned whether their actions were truly altruistic.
Self-proclaimed militia groups have often inserted themselves into natural disaster zones, they said. The groups sometimes claim to provide aid and supplies, while promoting far-right ideologies, anti-government sentiments and conspiracy theories.
“It casts these groups in a positive light and extends to them a kind of de facto authority that they don’t really have under the law, which raises significant problems,” said Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of I hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino. “When you have a system that allows unregulated extremists to cosplay in times of disaster, you get, well, unqualified extremists cosplaying in times of disaster.”
The Sheriff’s Office had not requested the presence of the militia and said the members were acting out of “their own courteous agreement.”
“The public should be aware that the militia has not been activated or requested to act for any purpose by the Sheriff’s Office or any agency working the Oak Fire,” the agency said on Facebook . “We do not support groups helping those affected by the Oak Fire, however, it is important that we inform the community of the resources available for the incident and Mariposa County.”
The group’s presence came as firefighters appeared to be making significant gains, even after the fire had destroyed 41 structures and kept thousands from their homes.
The charred remains of a home are all that remain after the Oak Fire tore through the mountains near Mariposa.
(Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
The northeast side of the fire continued to push against steep terrain and was at risk of crashing around the burn scar of the 2018 Ferguson fire, which could ignite new forests and woodlands and make the fire harder to control , said the public information officer for the Escondido Fire Department. Dominic Polito, who was working with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection on the fire.
“If it runs around the Ferguson scar, then we’re off to the races,” he said. “If not, we look great.”
As of Tuesday, the fire was 26 percent contained, according to Cal Fire. Several residents were able to return to their homes Friday evening as evacuation orders for some areas were reduced to fire warnings.
Still, about 1,440 buildings remained under threat as the fire continued to press against the eastern boundary and firefighters continued to battle steep terrain.
“The terrain is very slippery,” said Fresno Fire Capt. Chris Garcia. “Even putting firefighters up there is very dangerous. What can happen when you’re walking is that a loose rock can hit another firefighter, and right now we’re dealing with a lot of messes, which is what we call a burned tree that ends up falling.” .
Those residents who had been forced to flee were still reeling from the blur of packing what they could and leaving their homes with the uncertainty.
“I had never seen it [smoke] that closes earlier,” said Richard Perez, a 40-year resident of Mariposa County.
He and his wife packed up their belongings and stuffed them into two cars, including their dogs and chickens.
“This is my dream house, you know,” he said, “I’ve worked my whole life to finally get a place.”
A firefighting helicopter is framed by charred tree branches as water falls on the Oak Fire in a mountainous area near Mariposa on Tuesday.
(Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
They took their three German shepherds in one car and 11 of their chickens in the other. After a night in a local hotel, they stayed at the American Red Cross shelter at Mariposa Elementary along with about 40 other evacuees.
“I’ve been there for 20 years, and to lose everything,” he said, his voice trailing off. “It’s just material things, but it’s home.”
It’s residents like Perez who the uniformed militia group said it seeks to help.
Daniel Latner, member of the group, he told the Mercury News that about 20 members arrived with large surplus military vehicles to help feed the residents. The members, he said, were not armed.
However, some residents found his presence unsettling.
“The last thing I’m going to do is take a free tri-tip sandwich from a far-right group,” one woman, who declined to be identified for fear of provoking the group, told the Mercury News.
The Mariposa County group had once been affiliated a larger militia with a similar namebut the larger militia cut ties with Echo Company because of an incident in 2020, he said, when they inserted armed members between Black Lives Matter supporters and pro-police groups at a protest in Atwater.
In a 2020 statement, the larger group wrote online that it deauthorized Echo Company due to “potential legal liability in light of the continued militant activities of other units” and called the actions “inciting” .
The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to requests for comment.
Militia presence in natural disaster areas may seem well-intentioned, but it can actually be harmful because members are taking actions that can interfere with trained government agencies coordinating a response, Levin said.
Many extremist groups are also known to use similar incidents to attract media attention and recruit new members.
Militia groups have also gained new scrutiny following the involvement of similar groups in the January 6 uprising in Washington, DC. Members of groups, including the Oath Keepers, who years earlier had appeared in hurricane zones and conducted training for local residents to prepare for natural disasters. – have been charged for their alleged role in the attack.
Levin said he also worries that even if the group is providing assistance to residents, the subtle endorsement of law enforcement raises questions about the public’s interaction with them.
“If it turns out that there are extremists within these ranks, this is a critical juncture where people are at their most vulnerable,” he said. “Vulnerable people at vulnerable times require a qualified response and need not be exposed to the possibility of extremism.”
