Saturday, 28 September 2024
Saturday, 28 September 2024
Smoke fills the sky as firefighters work to control the Park Fire along Highway 32, near Jonesville, California, United States. The Park Fire, propelled by extreme fire weather conditions, now stands as the state's seventh-largest on record after burning for less than a week.
It had burned more than 350,000 acres (141,640 hectares) about 90 miles (144 km) north of the state capital city of Sacramento as of Saturday evening, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
Thousands of firefighters are battling a rapidly growing wildfire in northern California after the blaze more than doubled in size in a 24-hour span.
The fire was just 10% controlled, despite the efforts of more than 3,700 personnel with over a dozen helicopters and several planes, according to an agency update.
"Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the State are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow," it said.
Evacuation orders and warnings were issued for multiple communities in several counties, including a warning for Paradise, the town that was devastated by the 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest in the state's history.
A firefighter died after a single-engine tanker crashed near the Falls Fire in southeastern Oregon, the U.S. Forest Service said in a statement on Friday.
A burning house is seen as Park Fire burns along Cohasset Road near Chico, California.
More than 110 active fires covering 2,800 sq miles (7,250 sq km) were burning in the US on Friday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Some were caused by the weather, with the climate crisis increasing the frequency of lightning strikes as the region endures record heat and bone-dry conditions.
Cooler temperatures and more humid air were expected in the region, potentially helping efforts to slow the spread of the fire, which was 10% contained as of Saturday evening. The fire has destroyed 134 structures, authorities said.
Human-caused climate change has greatly increased the odds of heat waves and made them more intense and longer lasting.
In Oregon, several fires were burning, including the Durkee Fire, which had scorched more than 288,000 acres in the eastern part of the state, authorities said.
U.S. President Joe Biden has been briefed on the fire and has directed his team to do everything possible to support efforts to fight it, a White House official said.
“The President has been briefed on the Park Fire in Northern California,” the White House Press Office said in a statement on Sunday. “In addition to federal assets already deployed, the President has directed his team to do everything possible to support ongoing fire suppression efforts.”
On July 26, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency after mass evacuations and destruction from the flames.
“We are using every available tool to protect lives and property as our fire and emergency response teams work around the clock to combat these challenging fires,” the California governor said in a statement.
Three days later, Butte County declared a health emergency because of ash and debris in the air.
On July 25, a man was arrested in connection with starting the Park Fire. He was accused of setting a vehicle on fire and pushing it down an embankment.
