California Wildfire Continues to Spread Rapidly to 164K Acres

A massive wildfire in Northern California has destroyed an undetermined number of buildings and is threatening thousands or properties, prompting thousands of evacuations orders, as it continued to rage on Friday morning.

The Park fire, which became the state’s largest fire so far this year a day after it ignited, has grown to 164,286 acres and is only 3% contained since starting on Wednesday.

The fire was burning near Chico, north of Sacramento. One man is in custody after a witness saw him push a flaming vehicle down an embankment, according to authorities.

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FEMA’s Region 9 Administrator authorized the use of federal funds to assist the state of California in combating the fire.

More than 1,100 personnel, 41 dozers, 10 tenders and six helicopters are battling the blaze.

“Today the Park Fire burned very actively with hot, dry weather over the region,” a recent CalFire update states. “The fire area is currently under a Red Flag Warning due to gusty winds and low humidity. The fire is burning in some grass, brush, mixed timber and dead vegetation.”

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The Lake Fire in Santa Barbara County was the state’s biggest until Wednesday. It is 38,664 acres and is 90% contained. The 2024 SQF Lightning Complex fire in Tulare is 22,326 acres and is 20% contained. The Shelly Fire in Siskiyou County is 15,537 acres and is 89% contained.

This month has been active for wildfires. A CalFire official said at the begging of July said this season so far looks to be another challenging one for the state.

According to CalFire, 4,367 wildfires have burned 343,253 acres so far this year, and 168 structures have been reported damaged or destroyed.

Top photo: Park Fire in Butte County, California. Source: CalFire.