California fire quickly enters top 10 of largest ever

Issued on: 28/07/2024 – 01:25Altered: 28/07/2024 – 01:23

1 minute

The so-called Park Fire had burned nearly 350,000 acres (142,000 hectares) as of late Saturday morning, making it the seventh-largest fire on record in California history, state fire agency Cal Fire reported on X.

The fire, which forced more than 4,000 people to evacuate their homes, raged in a mostly rural, mountainous area near the city of Chico, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) north of the state capital, Sacramento.

“Extreme fire conditions continue to challenge firefighters,” the report said.

According to the agency, the situation is currently “zero percent” under control, despite the efforts of about 2,500 personnel with more than a dozen helicopters and several planes.

“The Park Fire continued to burn aggressively due to the steep terrain and winds. Extreme fire behavior occurred due to the slope and wind alignment, resulting in significant growth,” Cal Fire said in an update Saturday.

However, it was noted that cooler weather and higher humidity were expected in the region.

The fire broke out Wednesday near Chico, in Butte County, and within hours had destroyed a large area there and in neighboring Tehama County.

The latest update shows that 134 buildings have been destroyed by the fire.

The fire generated a huge column of dense gray smoke that has also blown over neighboring states.

On Thursday, police arrested a 42-year-old man on suspicion of causing the fire by pushing a burning car into a ravine.

Some area residents, like Julia Yarbough, have already seen their homes reduced to rubble.

“This is what’s left of my house,” she told CBS on Friday, showing off the charred and still-smoking rubble.

Chico is just 15 miles from Paradise, a town that was devastated in 2018 by what is considered the deadliest fire in California history, killing 85 people.

The explosive growth of the Park Fire has put Paradise under evacuation warning once again, bringing back painful memories for residents.

According to experts, climate change, accelerated by human actions, is leading to more extreme weather conditions.

© 2024 AFP