Follow-up On Operation Weed Free

Additional information has been received on the Lake Canyon Incident, which is the most recent chapter in Operation Weed Free, this summer’s pre-planned marijuana plantation detection and eradication operation. Lake Canyon began on Tuesday in the East Fork drainage of the Kaweah River with the removal of 5,432 marijuana plants valued at about $14 million. After shots were heard in the area during a helicopter re-supply flight on Tuesday afternoon, the focus of the operation shifted from detection and eradication to containment and capture of the growers and/or whoever fired the gunshots. An inspection of the helicopter revealed no damage. Since this episode greatly increased the potential complexity of the incident and increased concerns for personnel safety, though, park managers determined that an incident team would be needed to safely complete the operation. The Western IMT was accordingly brought in and took over management of the incident from the park’s Type 3 IMT yesterday morning. Park law enforcement specialist Kip Knapp continues as incident commander.