Detwiler fire patrol finds marijuana grow that nearly caused another fire

Investigators said a large marijuana grow operation concealed in a Midpines home nearly started another fire after the Mariposa County area was recently re-populated after the Detwiler fire.

Mutual aid law enforcement officers were patrolling re-populated areas Tuesday evening when they saw a power transformer sparking near a home on East Whitlock Road in Midpines, according to a news release from the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office.

PG&E crews called to the scene found that the home was pulling more power than the generator could handle, according to the release. The crews also discovered that the power meter was altered with an electrical bypass.

Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene and found numerous marijuana plants, the release states.

After a search warrant was obtained, deputies searched the home Wednesday, finding and destroying 1,013 marijuana plants inside and outside the home.

Several rooms had been converted into marijuana grow operations, bypassing the electric meter.

The release did not specify if anyone was arrested or if suspects are being sought.

“Not only were these subjects illegally growing marijuana,” the release states, “but they were stealing power to do so and nearly started another fire in an area that was recently re-populated after the devastating Detwiler Fire.”

This story was originally published July 27, 2017 at 10:43 PM with the headline "Detwiler fire patrol finds marijuana grow that nearly caused another fire."