Gunfire sparked a massive California wildfire that raged near Yosemite National Park last month and destroyed more than 60 homes, fire officials said Saturday.
The so-called Detwiler Fire broke out just before 4 p.m. local time (7 p.m. ET) on July 16, and burned more than 81,000 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It was 97 percent contained as of Saturday.
"The discharge of firearms, on public lands, is responsible for sparking the fire," the department, known as Cal Fire, said in a statement on Saturday. The specific circumstances about the cause of the fire remain under investigation, Cal Fire said. The department said a $2,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for starting the fire.