California Park Wildfire Explodes North Of Chico (Photos)

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 of Chico was ignited by a flaming vehicle pushed … [+] into a gully.

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 has burned dozens of structures.

AFP via Getty Images

The Park Fire started less than a week ago, after authorities said a man pushed a burning car into a … [+] gully.

Getty Images

A structure burned outside Chico, California, while over 4,000 other structures are threatened as … [+] the Park Fire continues to wreak havoc in multiple northern California counties.

Anadolu via Getty Images

Crews are battling against flames as the Park Fire spreads north of Chico, California.

Anadolu via Getty Images

The Park Fire, the sixth-biggest in California state history, burned through forest near Forest … [+] Ranch, California.

Getty Images

Fire engines drive through flames ripping across Highway 36.

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.