CHICO, Calif. – Weather conditions in Northern California have reduced some of the activity associated with the Park Fire burning near Chico, but thousands of firefighters are continuing to work tirelessly from the air and on the ground to get a handle on the wildfire that has destroyed numerous structures and threatens thousands more.
CAL Fire now estimates the Park Fire has burned more than 350,000 acres as of Sunday, which ranks the fire as No. 7 on California’s list of most acreage burned by a fire.
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At least 20 structures have been destroyed, and another 4,200 are threatened, fire officials said. Thousands of people in over 80 community zones are now under evacuation warnings across four counties.
“Lower temperatures and higher humidity have reduced fire activity,” CAL Fire officials said in a Saturday night update. “Fire continues to progress through multiple drainages. The fire is burning in grass, brush, mixed timber and dead vegetation.”
So far, there are no reports of any deaths, but some minor injuries have been reported.
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The Park Fire is now California’s largest wildfire of 2024 and the seventh largest in state history. As of Sunday, the Park Fire has burned 350,012 acres and is only 10% contained.
Vanessa Starling, who lives near the heavily damaged town of Cohasset, told FOX 2 Bay Area they could hear the sound as they evacuated their home.
“It was pretty crazy; there is one spot that had a little fire tornado going on. We could hear it, just this roaring sound; you can hear the fire roaring as we were leaving,” Starling said, worried about her family home. “We have property that’s been in our family since 1905.”
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The entire town of Paradise, California, was placed under an evacuation warning on Friday, which means all residents should get ready to run if the fire gets closer.
“Fire behavior and predicted winds require all residents in Paradise to prepare to evacuate and await further information,” CAL Fire officials said.
It’s a particularly daunting reminder of wildfire dangers for this community that was devastated by the fast-moving Camp Fire in 2018 that left dozens dead as flames raced through town.
Roads have been closed across the region, and shelters have been opened for evacuated residents in Red Bluff, Los Molinos and the Butte County Fairgrounds in Gridley, in addition to the shelters in Chico.
More than 3,720 firefighters are working to battle the blaze as of Sunday morning, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared an emergency, allowing additional state resources to flow into the region to help fire impression efforts.
The Park Fire began Wednesday as a bizarre case of arson, investigators said.
Witnesses spotted a man next to a car where a fire had started under the left wheel of what turned out to be the suspect’s mother’s vehicle and watched it burn, according to Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey.
The man climbed into the vehicle for a few moments, then got out and pushed the flaming car down a 60-foot embankment into a gully, investigators said. The burning car eventually became engulfed, spreading flames into the nearby brush and eventually tearing through nearby neighborhoods.
The suspect was identified later that evening and arrested early Thursday morning. He’s being held in the Butte County Jail without bail and is expected to be arraigned on Monday.
After days of fighting triple-digit heat and blustery winds that have triggered Fire Weather Warnings across much of Northern California, the weather pattern has finally shifted to give firefighters a temporary reprieve.
Cooler, ocean breezes have pushed inland, not only knocking temperatures down into the upper 80s and lower 90s, but increasing the humidity as well.
However, hotter weather and perhaps a return to triple-digit heat is looming for later this week.
Original article source: California’s Park Fire continues to grow as thousands flee to escape 7th largest inferno in state history
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