The largest wildfire currently burning in California has grown to over 350,000 acres, but progress in containing it, as well as a cool-down in weather, are giving firefighters hope that they will be able to defeat it. The Park Fire was started on Wednesday by a man who pushed a flaming vehicle into dried brush at a park in Chico. The blaze quickly doubled in size amid hot temperatures, dry brush, and gusty winds. Similar conditions have caused wildfires in other Western states, as well as parts of Canada.
Cal Fire officials have reported that the Park Fire has destroyed 134 structures as it moves northward from Chico into Tehama County. After three days of no containment, firefighters were able to get the blaze 10% contained on Saturday. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea has issued mandatory and recommended evacuations depending on location. Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for Butte and Tehama counties, as well as for Plumas County, which is home to the Gold Complex Fire. The emergency declaration will help fire victims with replacing lost identification and filing for unemployment benefits.
In addition to the Park Fire, there are other wildfires burning in California, including the Gold Complex Fire in Plumas County and the Borel Fire in Kern County. The Borel Fire, which started on federal land near Bakersfield, has burned 31,000 acres. In total, California wildfires have burned 626,600 acres so far. Nationwide, there are 102 large active wildfires, primarily in the West, that have burned over 2 million acres. Twenty-one of these wildfires have led to evacuation orders in effect.
Fire weather watches and warnings were in effect on Saturday for parts of Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Southern Idaho, Utah, and California. About 1.5 million people in the United States were under a red flag warning or fire weather watch issued by the National Weather Service, indicating prime fire conditions such as high temperatures, dry air, and gusty winds. Earth scientists suggest that climate change may be lengthening the fire season, intensifying blazes, and creating more extreme weather events.
Those fighting the Park Fire near Paradise, which was devastated by the Camp Fire in 2018, were helped by temperatures that were 10 to 15 degrees lower than the previous day. This relief is expected to continue through mid-week as a cool upper trough moves across California. However, heat may return to the Chico area before the weekend. The National Weather Service is closely monitoring the situation and providing updates on the weather conditions affecting fire behavior.
