[Mercury News] The appearance of camouflage-clad militia members in the small Sierra foothills town of Mariposa as the Oak Fire raged nearby has sparked a furor in Mariposa County, with the local sheriff’s department praising the group for its help while some residents accused the militia of exploiting the disaster.The California State Militia 2nd Regiment — whose website features pictures of men in military fatigues, helmets and assault-style rifles preparing for "the unrest yet to come" — set up a mobile kitchen trailer from Saturday evening through Monday morning in the parking lot of a lumber store in Mariposa, just southwest of the blaze that as of Monday evening had driven nearly 4,000 people from their homes while burning more than 18,000 acres and destroying at least 41 homes and other structures.
There are about 150 members in the militia across California, and about 20 of them, including several Mariposa-area residents and others from nearby counties and one from Bakersfield, showed up to help feed evacuees and offer other services, said militia member Daniel Latner.
"We’re part of the community," said Latner, 44, who lives in Mariposa County and works in logistics. "We’re watching our own community burn down, and even though a lot of the members that came to help, they’re spread out, we’re all part of the same unit, and this is what we do."
Latner estimated that his group fed about 20 families, with food including "local farm fresh eggs and goat milk," pancakes, turkey sausage, sandwiches and fruits and vegetables. Militia members rustled up a three-horse trailer to help people evacuate livestock but didn’t end up using it, Latner said.
But not all residents were happy with the activities of the militia, which parked two large green military-surplus trucks beside their kitchen operation.
"The last thing I’m going to do is take a free tri-tip sandwich from a right-wing extremist group," said one resident, who did not want her name used because she said she worried about provoking "armed and dangerous" people.