California wildfire surpasses 350,000 acres, seventh-largest fire in state history

CHICO — The Park Fire in Northern California has burned more than 350,000 acres, with evacuation orders in effect for four counties: Butte, Tehama, Shasta and Plumas.

As of Saturday morning, Cal Fire reported that containment remains at 0%. The Park Fire is the largest wildfire in the state so far this year and the seventh largest wildfire in California history.

The fire has burned an area the size of Los Angeles and destroyed more acres than Cal Fire reported in the state last year.

Saturday’s cooler weather and higher humidity could help slow the fire.

Cal Fire reported that the fire was burning through fire-retardant lines in Tehama County and was rapidly spreading at 4,000 to 5,000 acres per hour on Friday. The majority of the fire area was in Tehama County, with flames spreading northward toward Shasta County.

IN PICTURES: Park fire in Northern California

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Friday afternoon that about 4,000 residents are being evacuatedThe number was not yet clear for the other provinces.

Cal Fire reported that the Park Fire was the result of a suspected arson and that the fire started around 3 p.m. Wednesday in the Upper Bidwell Park area, about four miles northeast of downtown Chico in Butte County.

Cal Fire noted Friday that 134 structures were destroyed, with 4,200 still threatened. No details were released on the types of structures destroyed, but it is understood that several homes burned.

On Friday evening, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Butte and Tehama counties.

“We are using all available resources to protect lives and property as our fire and emergency response teams work around the clock to combat these challenging fires,” Newsom said in a statement. “Stay safe and remain vigilant to local authorities as dangerous fire conditions persist.”

A local emergency was declared in Butte County on Thursday evening, allowing the county to request more resources from the state. Prior to the local emergency being declared, Newsom was awarded a Fire Management Assistance Grant from FEMA to assist with the state’s response to the fire.

A camera from the Alert California tower in the area captured a fire tornado, or firenado, near Chico early Thursday evening.

Arson suspect arrested

The Butte County Prosecutor’s Office announced Thursday that they have arrested a man suspected of starting the fire. As detailed by the Prosecutor’s Office, a man was seen pushing a burning car into the ditch at Alligator Hole in the upper portion of Bidwell Park, reportedly spreading the flames that would later become the Park Fire.

He was arrested Thursday and identified by the district attorney’s office as Ronnie Dean Stout II, a 42-year-old Chico resident. He was reportedly seen calmly leaving the area, trying to blend in with the crowd.

Alligator Hole is a popular area for people to cool off in the summer and is located about six miles east of Chico’s town square. Upper Bidwell Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the country and is home to many hiking and biking trails, swimming holes, and picnic areas.

Fire activity

Cal Fire Chief of Operations Jeremy Pierce said at a press conference Saturday that the fire has spread widely across Tehama County, burning north to Highway 36 and burning about 370,000 acres.

About 5,000 acres are burning along Highway 36, but have held on a ridge just above Manton. Crews are trying to build a line around the fire and wind it back to Highway 36, Pierce said Saturday afternoon.

There was a major fire attack in Paynes Creek on Friday night. There are several photos conquered destroyed structures in the area.

The concerns Saturday afternoon are in the Mineral area, Pierce said. The fire has been “killed off,” allowing crews to set up lines. Lassen Volcanic National Park is closed. Park officials said the fire has the potential to reach Manzanita Lake and Mineral’s headquarters.

The fire has been contained to its footprint in the southwestern portion, Pierce said. Crews will continue to clear around structures.

On the east side of the fire, near Butte Meadows, the fire continued, Pierce said. They are now working on the west side of Highway 32.

In the Forest Ranch area, emergency services have not seen any fires like those seen in recent days, such as spot fires.

“The crews are hard at work,” Pierce said. “They’re still trying to get right to work on this. We’re having a lot of success today now that that fire is down. Now that that fire is down, our crews are strong and they’re going out there to put this out while the weather is favorable.”

Evacuation orders and shelters

Butte County

Evacuations were first issued in Butte County. Several zones stretching from Bidwell Park to Highway 32 northeast to the Butte Meadows and Jonesville areas are under mandatory evacuation orders. These include Cohasset Ridge, Keefer Ridge and Forest Ranch.

Evacuation warnings are in effect for zones on the eastern edge of that area, from Butte Canyon Creek and all of Paradise northeast through Magalia and Stirling City, and into the Inskip area and around Philbrook Reservoir, just south of Jonestown. They also include the Chico Airport, west of Highway 99 and north of Wookey Road.

An evacuation shelter in Butte County was set up at Neighborhood Church at 2801 Notre Dame Blvd. in Chico. A second evacuation shelter has opened at the Butte County Fairgrounds at 199 E. Hazel St. in Gridley.

A small animal shelter has opened at 2279 Del Oro, in Oroville. Large animals can be taken to Camelot Equestrian Park at 1985 Clark Rd. in Oroville.

In Butte County, Cohasset Road was closed at Rock Creek and Upper Park Road near Wildwood, Cal Fire said. Additionally, Highway 32 was closed from Bruce Road in Chico to Highway 36.

Butte County residents can view a live evacuation map here to see the exact zones.

Tehama District

Residents of Tehama, Shasta and Plumas County can view a live evacuation map here.

In Tehama County, nearly the entire eastern edge of the county, from the southern border to the northern border, is under mandatory evacuation orders. This extends from the Cohasset area near the Butte border through the Ishi Wilderness and Tehama Wildlife Area, up Highway 36 to the Shasta County border east of Highway 99.

A few areas are under evacuation warnings on the east side of Highway 99 and west of the mandatory zones, which extend from the Butte County border north to the Shasta County border. A few areas in the easternmost part of the county, where Highways 36 and 32 intersect, are also under evacuation warnings.

In Tehama County, an evacuation center has opened in Los Molinos at 7980 Sherwood Blvd.

Shasta County

In Shasta County, several zones between the Manton and Shingletown areas and extending west and east on the south side of Highway 49 are also under mandatory evacuation orders. Dozens of zones on the north side of Highway 49 are under evacuation warnings.

A temporary shelter for Shasta evacuees has been set up at the Dollar General on Highway 44 in Shingletown, the sheriff’s office said. Another will be set up at Bella Vista Elementary School at 22661 Old Alturas Rd.

Plumas County

An area in Plumas County stretching from the west side of Lake Almanor and Highway 36 to the Grizzly Creek Bridge along the Feather River Highway is under evacuation warning. This is east of the fire zone.

Butte County has had a busy fire season this summer. The Thomspon Fire In the Oroville region, more than 1,500 hectares were recently destroyed, tens of thousands of people were displaced from their homes and dozens of structures, including homes, were destroyed.

The day after the Thompson fire started, the grubbs fire Just south of there, in Palermo, there was a much smaller disaster, but forced evacuations took place there too.

In mid-July, the Railbridge fire occurred just south of Palermo, burning 130 hectares, forcing people to evacuate, destroying or damaging several structures, and injuring at least one person.

In June the Apache firewhich burned in the same area near Oroville and Palermo, destroying nearly 700 acres and forcing local evacuations.

Nearly two weeks before the Apache fire, June fire Nearly 450 hectares in Palermo were burned down and people were forced from their homes.

The Park Fire is burning just west of the devastating Camp and Dixie fires in Butte County.

The 2021 Dixie Fire Nearly 1 million acres burned in Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Lassen and Tehama counties.

Further back in 2018, the Camp Fire burned more than 150,000 acres in Butte County, nearly destroying the town of Paradise. the deadliest fire in state historyin which 85 people died.