Crews in northern California on Friday continued battling the largest wildfire of the year in the western U.S. state, which has left more than 130 structures destroyed and thousands of people evacuated.
The Park Fire, which started Wednesday afternoon near Chico, north of California's capital city Sacramento, had rapidly expanded to engulf over 664 square kilometers as of Friday morning, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The fire has already destroyed 134 structures and threatens 4,200 more, with only 3 percent contained by Friday morning, according to data from local officials and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
"Today the Park Fire burned very actively with hot, dry weather over the region. 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," Cal Fire said in its latest update on Friday.
Embers spark a spot fire as the Park Fire burns below Highway 32 near Lomo in Butte County, California, the U.S., July 26, 2024. /CFP
The fire's cause has been traced to an act of arson. Authorities have arrested a 42-year-old man, named Ronnie Dean Stout II, a Chico resident, on suspicion of intentionally starting the fire.
According to Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey, the blaze was believed to have begun when a burning car was pushed into a gully, rolling almost 20 meters down an embankment. The motive behind this alleged act remains unclear.
The rapid spread of the Park Fire has forced widespread evacuations across Butte County and the neighboring Tehama County.
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said that approximately 4,000 residents were ordered to evacuate, including 400 from Chico itself.
California Governor Gavin Newsom's office reported that by early Thursday, 3,500 people had already been displaced from their homes.
At least two people suffered minor injuries, though the full extent of the fire's impact on the local population is still being assessed. Officials are urging residents to stay informed about their evacuation zones and be prepared to leave at a moment's notice.
Cal Fire mobilized various resources to combat the Park Fire. As of Friday morning, 1,633 personnel were engaged in firefighting efforts, supported by 142 engines, 6 helicopters, and 54 bulldozers.
State officials said that firefighters were focusing on evacuations, protecting structures, and constructing containment lines to halt the fire's advance.