Yosemite National Forest

The Forest Service may seek civil penalties--but will not file criminal charges--against two San Diego-area brothers who accidentally set a 2,200-acre wildfire outside Yosemite National Park, authorities said. The Sierra National Forest will attempt to recover part of the $1 million it cost to fight the fire, which damaged the Merced River watershed and some rangeland, a spokesman said.

The Forest Service may seek civil penalties--but will not file criminal charges--against two San Diego-area brothers who accidentally set a 2,200-acre wildfire outside Yosemite National Park, authorities said. The Sierra National Forest will attempt to recover part of the $1 million it cost to fight the fire, which damaged the Merced River watershed and some rangeland, a spokesman said.

Here's a camping tip that ranks up there with Bring Waterproof Matches: Make Reservations Whenever Possible. You wouldn't visit Disneyland for a weekend without making sure the hotels had vacancies. If you drive 150 miles and discover your campground filled, you'll spend the next two hours trying to find a vacant site somewhere else and, possibly, wind up at a Holiday Inn. Not all parks take reservations. Those that do include state parks such as Point Mugu and national parks such as Yosemite.

Staff and teachers at Esperanza Elementary School are appealing to the community for help in sending 29 fifth-grade students from the inner city on a five-day science field trip to Yosemite National Forest. Although funds have already been raised by the students themselves as well as parents and a few local merchants, Esperanza Principal Rowena Lagrosa said the school is still short by at least $700 as the children prepare to leave on April 3.

Thomas Pewdo had just turned around to warn his hiking companions about slippery rocks ahead. As he resumed walking, he tumbled off the sharp ridge and somersaulted to his death 600 feet below. Pewdo, 50, died Saturday about 2:30 p.m., but it wasn't until 1:50 p.m. Sunday that his body was finally extricated from dense foliage and jagged rocks by rescuers forced to rappel down from the ridge top.