Nature California Wildfire: Park Fire Now Sixth-Biggest In State History

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California Wildfire: Park Fire Now Sixth-Biggest In State History (Photos)​

Brian BushardJul 29, 2024,

Topline​

In less than a week, California’s Park Fire has swelled into the state’s sixth-largest wildfire on record and the second-biggest in the U.S. this year, prompting widespread evacuations, burning over 100 structures and threatening thousands more just north of Chico.

Authorities allege California’s Park Fire north [+]AFP via Getty Images

Key Facts​

The Park Fire has burned over 370,000 acres in Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama counties as of Monday afternoon, roughly half the size of Rhode Island, and is only 12% contained, according to state officials.
The fire has exploded in size since it started Wednesday, and authorities say it was set off by a flaming car that was pushed into a gully, and the fire rapidly spread as northern California was swept in a sweltering heat wave that increased wildfire risks, according to officials.
Over 4,200 people are under evacuation orders, and thousands more under evacuation warnings in Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said in a Sunday press conference, including the entire town of Paradise, California, which is under an evacuation warning.
No casualties have been reported as a result of the fire, though the blaze has already destroyed 109 structures and threaten 4,200 others, according to officials.
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In Tehama County, California, the fast-moving fire [+]AFP via Getty Images

The Park Fire started less than a week ago, after [+]Getty Images

A structure burned outside Chico, California, [+]Anadolu via Getty Images

Crews are battling against flames as the Park Fire [+]Anadolu via Getty Images

The Park Fire, the sixth-biggest in California [+]Getty Images

Fire engines drive through flames ripping across [+]AFP via Getty Images

Key Background​

The Park Fire comes just weeks after thousands of residents north of Chico were forced to evacuate due to the Thompson Fire, which scorched over 3,700 acres in Butte County earlier this month before firefighting crews contained it. In 2018, the area suffered one of its most devastating wildfires, when the Camp Fire burned over 153,000 acres and left 85 people dead. So far this year, more than 4,500 fires have burned in California over a total of nearly 726,000 acres, according to CalFire, causing one fatality and burning 291 structures. Researchers attribute increased wildfire activity to climate change, which scientists say makes wildfires both more frequent and intense. Wildfires have also been blamed on decades of overgrowth and suburban sprawl, giving wildfires more fuel allowing them to come closer to homes and infrastructure.

Tangent​

Ronnie Stout, the 42-year-old Chico resident accused of pushing the car into the gully, was arrested without bail Thursday and arraigned Monday. Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey said the car in question belonged to Stout’s mother.

 

[Hey Julian!]

Damn, @Dr. Truth right now eating his $30 Big Mac, looking at his insurance bill talm ‘bout, “We got good weather though”.

 

[Dr. Truth]

Damn, @Dr. Truth right now eating his $30 Big Mac, looking at his insurance bill talm ‘bout, “We got good weather though”.

Man that shit is hours from here , we don’t have all those Forrest’s and trees like that . Them people chose to live in a fire zone. It was 69 degrees today and sunny. I had lunch outside by the water with the kids.

 

[dbluesun]

i can't remember the current cali fire thread title
so an asst is requested