California’s Park Fire moves north as evacuations cover multiple counties. Here are the latest updates.

CHICO — The Park Fire moved rapidly north Friday, with evacuation orders affecting four Northern California counties: Butte, Tehama, Shasta and Plumas.

As of Friday evening, Cal Fire reported that the fire had burned more than 239,000 acres, or 373 square miles. It was initially reported to be 3% contained, but Cal Fire reduced that to 0%. It is the largest wildfire in the state so far this year.

According to Cal Fire Chief Billy See, the fire is raging through fire-retardant pipes in Tehama County and is spreading rapidly, burning 10,000 to 12,000 acres per hour.

The majority of the burned area was in Tehama County, with flames spreading northward toward Shasta County. As of Friday evening, Cal Fire reported that more than 187,000 acres had burned in Tehama, while more than 51,000 acres had burned in Butte.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Friday afternoon that about 4,000 residents are being evacuatedThe number was not yet clear for the other provinces.

Cal Fire reported that the Park Fire was the result of a suspected arson and that the fire started around 3 p.m. Wednesday in the Upper Bidwell Park area, about four miles northeast of downtown Chico in Butte County.

Cal Fire noted Friday that 134 structures were destroyed, with 4,200 still threatened. No details were released on the types of structures destroyed, but it is understood that several homes burned.

On Friday evening, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Butte and Tehama counties.

“We are using all available resources to protect lives and property as our fire and emergency response teams work around the clock to combat these challenging fires,” Newsom said in a statement. “Stay safe and remain vigilant to local authorities as dangerous fire conditions persist.”

A local emergency was declared in Butte County on Thursday evening, allowing the county to request more resources from the state. Prior to the local emergency being declared, Newsom was awarded a Fire Management Assistance Grant from FEMA to assist with the state’s response to the fire.

A camera from the Alert California tower in the area captured a fire tornado, or firenado, near Chico early Thursday evening.

Arson suspect arrested

The Butte County Prosecutor’s Office announced Thursday that they have arrested a man suspected of starting the fire. As detailed by the Prosecutor’s Office, a man was seen pushing a burning car into the ditch at Alligator Hole in the upper portion of Bidwell Park, reportedly spreading the flames that would later become the Park Fire.

He was arrested Thursday and identified by the district attorney’s office as Ronnie Dean Stout II, a 42-year-old Chico resident. He was reportedly seen calmly leaving the area, trying to blend in with the crowd.

Alligator Hole is a popular area for people to cool off in the summer and is located about six miles east of Chico’s town square. Upper Bidwell Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the country and is home to many hiking and biking trails, swimming holes, and picnic areas.

Fire activity

Jeremy Pierce, operations section chief for Cal Fire, reported during a 3 p.m. Friday news conference that a bulldozer line has been moved along the western portion of the fire line. The fire is contained in that area and crews are continuing to improve the lines to ensure the fire remains contained.

Incident Commander Billy See said the fire was moving quickly north in Tehama County. He said crews are looking for ways to keep the fire from crossing Highway 36, and that the fire has not gotten that far yet.

Pierce said ground crews are trying to gain access to the fire in the northern area, but access is limited. He said the fire is outpacing aircraft operations by “running through our retardant lines.”

On the east side of the fire, Pierce also reported rapid growth and patches in the area, where crews are working to contain the fire on the northwest side of Highway 32.

Pierce reported good progress has been made in the southeastern portion of the fire, with the fire contained within the lines near Highway 32.

The red flag warning expires at 11pm on Friday evening.

Evacuation orders and shelters

Butte County

Evacuations were first issued in Butte County. Several zones stretching from Bidwell Park to Highway 32 northeast to the Butte Meadows and Jonesville areas are under mandatory evacuation orders. These include Cohasset Ridge, Keefer Ridge and Forest Ranch.

Evacuation warnings are in effect for zones on the eastern edge of that area, from Butte Canyon Creek and all of Paradise northeast through Magalia and Stirling City, and into the Inskip area and around Philbrook Reservoir, just south of Jonestown. They also include the Chico Airport, west of Highway 99 and north of Wookey Road.

An evacuation shelter in Butte County was set up at Neighborhood Church at 2801 Notre Dame Blvd. in Chico. A second evacuation shelter has opened at the Butte County Fairgrounds at 199 E. Hazel St. in Gridley.

A small animal shelter has opened at 2279 Del Oro, in Oroville. Large animals can be taken to Camelot Equestrian Park at 1985 Clark Rd. in Oroville.

In Butte County, Cohasset Road was closed at Rock Creek and Upper Park Road near Wildwood, Cal Fire said. Additionally, Highway 32 was closed from Bruce Road in Chico to Highway 36.

Tehama District

In Tehama County, nearly the entire eastern edge of the county, from the southern border to the northern border, is under mandatory evacuation orders. This extends from the Cohasset area near the Butte border through the Ishi Wilderness and Tehama Wildlife Area, up Highway 36 to the Shasta County border east of Highway 99.

A few areas are under evacuation warnings on the east side of Highway 99 and west of the mandatory zones, which extend from the Butte County border north to the Shasta County border. A few areas in the easternmost part of the county, where Highways 36 and 32 intersect, are also under evacuation warnings.

In Tehama County, an evacuation center has opened in Los Molinos at 7980 Sherwood Blvd.

Shasta County

In Shasta County, several zones between the Manton and Shingletown areas and extending west and east on the south side of Highway 49 are also under mandatory evacuation orders. Dozens of zones on the north side of Highway 49 are under evacuation warnings.

A temporary shelter for Shasta evacuees has been set up at the Dollar General on Highway 44 in Shingletown, the sheriff’s office said. Another will be set up at Bella Vista Elementary School at 22661 Old Alturas Rd.

Plumas County

An area in Plumas County stretching from the west side of Lake Almanor and Highway 36 to the Grizzly Creek Bridge along the Feather River Highway is under evacuation warning. This is east of the fire zone.

Butte County residents can view a live evacuation map here to see the exact zones. Tehama, Shasta and Plumas County residents can view a live evacuation map here.

Butte County has had a busy fire season this summer. The Thomspon Fire In the Oroville region, more than 1,500 hectares were recently destroyed, tens of thousands of people were displaced from their homes and dozens of structures, including homes, were destroyed.

The day after the Thompson fire started, the grubbs fire Just south of there, in Palermo, there was a much smaller disaster, but forced evacuations took place there too.

In mid-July, the Railbridge fire occurred just south of Palermo, burning 130 hectares, forcing people to evacuate, destroying or damaging several structures, and injuring at least one person.

In June the Apache firewhich burned in the same area near Oroville and Palermo, destroying nearly 700 acres and forcing local evacuations.

Nearly two weeks before the Apache fire, June fire Nearly 450 hectares in Palermo were burned down and people were forced from their homes.

The Park Fire is burning just west of the devastating Camp and Dixie fires in Butte County.

The 2021 Dixie Fire Nearly 1 million acres burned in Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Lassen and Tehama counties.

Further back in 2018, the Camp Fire burned more than 150,000 acres in Butte County, nearly destroying the town of Paradise. the deadliest fire in state historyin which 85 people died.