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The largest wildfire currently burning in the United States expanded to over 600 square miles on Tuesday, surpassing the size of Los Angeles, according to California fire officials. Thousands of firefighters are engaged in a round-the-clock battle against the Park Fire, which is raging through a wilderness area north of Sacramento.
More than 5,500 firefighters from across California and other states are working tirelessly to contain the fire, which is burning in the state’s Central Valley, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) north of Sacramento, the capital.The fire has grown to 385,065 acres (155,830 hectares), making it the fifth-largest wildfire in California’s history.
On Tuesday, the Park Fire overtook the 2020 Creek Fire in Fresno County, which burned nearly 380,000 acres. However, it remains smaller than the state’s largest fire on record, the August Complex Fire of 2020, which scorched more than 1 million acres across seven northern California counties. The Park Fire, driven by dry grass, brush, and timber, is advancing rapidly, said Fire Captain Dan Collins of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
“This fire has plenty of fuel that’s highly combustible and difficult to access,” Collins stated. “Our fire line stretches 260 miles, which is roughly the size of three Lake Tahoes. It can take two to three hours for personnel to reach certain areas due to the challenging terrain.”
The National Weather Service predicts only a slight chance of isolated thunderstorms on Tuesday, with no significant rainfall expected in the near future. Meteorologist Ashton Robinson Cook indicated that the weather would remain hot and extremely dry, with temperatures projected to reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8°C) on Wednesday and persist at that level through next Monday. Relative humidity levels could drop as low as 7%.
The Park Fire, which was only 14% contained as of Tuesday, has led to the evacuation of more than 4,000 people and caused damage or destruction to over 192 structures. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities have been reported.
Jeremy Hollingshead, a spokesperson for Cal Fire, mentioned that heavy smoke has grounded the 41 helicopters assigned to drop water and fire-retardant chemicals on the blaze.
Evacuations have included the town of Paradise, which was devastated by the 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in California’s history.
The man accused of starting the Park Fire, allegedly by pushing a flaming car down a Butte County gully last Wednesday, has been formally charged with arson. Ronnie Dean Stout II, 42, of Chico, California, denied the allegations during his arraignment on Monday, as stated by Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey during a news conference. It remains unclear if Stout has legal representation.
Stout did not enter a plea but was denied bail. His arraignment has been continued to Thursday, as additional charges may be filed, Ramsey noted.
More than 5,500 firefighters from across California and other states are working tirelessly to contain the fire, which is burning in the state’s Central Valley, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) north of Sacramento, the capital.The fire has grown to 385,065 acres (155,830 hectares), making it the fifth-largest wildfire in California’s history.
On Tuesday, the Park Fire overtook the 2020 Creek Fire in Fresno County, which burned nearly 380,000 acres. However, it remains smaller than the state’s largest fire on record, the August Complex Fire of 2020, which scorched more than 1 million acres across seven northern California counties. The Park Fire, driven by dry grass, brush, and timber, is advancing rapidly, said Fire Captain Dan Collins of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
“This fire has plenty of fuel that’s highly combustible and difficult to access,” Collins stated. “Our fire line stretches 260 miles, which is roughly the size of three Lake Tahoes. It can take two to three hours for personnel to reach certain areas due to the challenging terrain.”
The National Weather Service predicts only a slight chance of isolated thunderstorms on Tuesday, with no significant rainfall expected in the near future. Meteorologist Ashton Robinson Cook indicated that the weather would remain hot and extremely dry, with temperatures projected to reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8°C) on Wednesday and persist at that level through next Monday. Relative humidity levels could drop as low as 7%.
The Park Fire, which was only 14% contained as of Tuesday, has led to the evacuation of more than 4,000 people and caused damage or destruction to over 192 structures. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities have been reported.
Jeremy Hollingshead, a spokesperson for Cal Fire, mentioned that heavy smoke has grounded the 41 helicopters assigned to drop water and fire-retardant chemicals on the blaze.
Evacuations have included the town of Paradise, which was devastated by the 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in California’s history.
The man accused of starting the Park Fire, allegedly by pushing a flaming car down a Butte County gully last Wednesday, has been formally charged with arson. Ronnie Dean Stout II, 42, of Chico, California, denied the allegations during his arraignment on Monday, as stated by Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey during a news conference. It remains unclear if Stout has legal representation.
Stout did not enter a plea but was denied bail. His arraignment has been continued to Thursday, as additional charges may be filed, Ramsey noted.
