The Park Fire is an active wildfire burning in Butte and Tehama counties in Northern California. As of July 25, 2024[update], the fire had burned 178,090.2 acres (72,070.5 hectares) and was reported that it went from three percent to zero contained in the recent updates. The Park Fire is the largest of California's 2024 wildfire season.
| Park Fire | |
|---|---|
 Smoke plume of the Park Fire as seen from Chico on July 25, 2024 | |
| Date(s) |
|
| Location | Butte and Tehama counties, California |
| Coordinates | 39°46′44″N 121°45′42″W / 39.7789°N 121.76168°W |
| Statistics | |
| Perimeter | 0% contained |
| Burned area | 178,090 acres (72,070 ha; 278 sq mi; 721 km2) |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 0 |
| Evacuated | >4,000 |
| Structures destroyed | >134 |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Arson |
| Map | |
  The general location of the Park Fire in Northern California | |
Background
editThe burn area saw temperatures of 100–110 °F (38–43 °C) during the week prior to the fire. Much of the landscape with the highest fire activity had not burned previously for more than 20 years.[1]
The Park Fire began near Upper Park Road in upper Bidwell Park, east of the city of Chico in Butte County.[2] Bidwell Park is a large municipal park and recreational area, stretching from Chico itself into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.[3][4] The Butte County District Attorney's office announced the arrest of Ronnie Dean Stout, II, a 42-year-old resident of Chico on July 25, the second day of the fire, under suspicion of having ignited the Park Fire by pushing a flaming car off an embankment in Bidwell Park. The suspect has two prior felony convictions.[5] The district attorney's office alleged that the suspect blended in with other members of the public who were hastening away from the growing fire.[6]
The area in which the Park Fire is burning has a history of significant wildfire activity but is most noteably burning in an area just north of deadly and destructive Camp Fire of 2018. The area the fire itself encompasses has not been burned by a significant wildfire since the 1990 Campbell Fire and 1994 Barkley Fire.[7]
Progression
editThe Park Fire ignited at 2:52 p.m. PDT on Bidwell Park's eastern edge.[8][9] It was first spotted near Upper Park Road.[8] From its ignition point the fire spread north, burning some of the park's eastern portion, driven by winds out of the south of up to 24 miles per hour (39 km/h).[8][10] The area burned was reported by Cal Fire to be 1,000 acres (400 ha) by 5:54 p.m.[10] Evacuations in areas northeast of Chico began by 9:00 p.m.[11] The burned area increased to 6,465 acres (2,616 ha) by 10:15 p.m.[10]
As it spread north, the fire established itself in the Ishi Wilderness, an area with little history of wildfire, heavy vegetation cover, and few easy access routes for ground-based firefighting personnel.[8] The fire produced pyrocumulus clouds and burned actively into the night.[9] Despite the efforts of ground crews and three night-flying helicopters, the wind-driven fire continued to burn largely north—parallel to California State Route 99—until by morning it had burned into Tehama County and consumed more than 45,000 acres (18,000 ha).[11][12] During the fire's first 12 hours, it burned at a rate of 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) per hour.[1]
As of July 26, 2024[update], the fire had burned 178,090.2 acres (72,070.5 ha) and was zero percent contained.[2] The Park Fire is the largest wildfire in California in 2024.[4][13]
Effects
editThere have been no reported injuries or deaths in association with the Park Fire.[14] As of the morning of 7/26, 134 structures have been destroyed.[15]
The fire has prompted evacuation orders for parts of Butte and Tehama counties,[16] including residential areas near Chico and the city's airport.[9] By the morning of Thursday, July 25, more than 4,000 people were subject to evacuation orders, including the entire community of Cohasset.[1][11]
See also
edit- Glossary of wildfire terms
- List of California wildfires
- Camp Fire (2018) – California's deadliest wildfire, burned in Butte County near Chico
External links
edit
References
edit- ^ a b c Hutchinson, Bill (July 25, 2024). "As California wildfire explodes to more than 45,000 acres, Oregon blaze becomes largest in the nation". ABC News. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ a b "Park Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ "Bidwell Park". Explore Butte County. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ a b Austen, Ian; Nauman, Qasim; Holpuch, Amanda (July 25, 2024). "Park Fire Balloons in California as Smoke Spreads in Northwest and Western Canada". The New York Times. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ Man pushing flaming car into ravine started Park Fire, burning over 120,000 acres in California, officials say, NBC News, Antonio Planas, July 25, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ Robinson, Adam (July 25, 2024). "Suspect pushes burning car into gully, sparks massive Park Fire". KRCR-TV. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ Echeverria, Danielle (July 25, 2024). "Park Fire map shows where blaze is burning, how close to Camp Fire perimeter". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Graff, Amy (July 25, 2024). "Northern California wildfire balloons to 45,550 acres overnight". SFGate. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c Parker, Jordan; Edwards, Anthony (July 25, 2024). "Park Fire rages near Chico, evacuations ordered". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c Hutchison, Jake (July 4, 2024). "Update: Park Fire reaches 6,465 acres — mandatory evacuation orders for numerous zones". Chico Enterprise-Record. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c Toohey, Grace; Smith, Hayley; Serna, Joseph (July 25, 2024). "Massive Park fire sparked by man pushing burning truck into a gully, officials say". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ Serna, Joseph (July 24, 2024). "Fast-moving Park fire explodes in Butte County, forcing overnight evacuations". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ "2024 Fire Season Incident Archive". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ "Park Fire in Northern California explodes in its first day". CBS News. July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ "Park Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Ables, Kelsey (July 25, 2024). "Evacuations as California's growing Park Fire in Chico engulfs 6,400 acres". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 25, 2024.