Nearly three weeks after it broke out near Chico, the Park Fire had narrowed to 430,000 acres early Tuesday, and containment efforts continued to be slow.
The fire, which started on July 24, had burned 429,263 acres of land in Butte and Tehama counties and the Lassen National Forest as of 7:30 p.m. Monday, according to Cal Fire. It remains the fourth-largest wildfire in California history.
Firefighters have brought 39% of the fire under control, an increase of only 5% from last Thursday. The weather has cooperated to some extent, with temperatures dropping to just above 30 degrees and humidity increasing in the region.
However, there have also been stronger winds that have made it difficult to contain the fire, according to Cal Fire. The agency said the fire is raging primarily in mature timber, and dead vegetation is also facilitating its spread.
Crews worked through the night to reinforce firebreaks and monitor the fire area. Crews used heavy equipment to remove hazardous trees along roads and in the fire’s perimeter, Cal Fire said.
According to the agency, emergency crews were able to prevent the fire from spreading into Lassen National Forest, where it has already burned 46,500 acres of land.
The fire caused no injuries but destroyed 641 buildings and damaged another 52, Cal Fire said. All of these buildings are located in Tehama and Butte counties.
Several evacuation orders remain in effect in Tehama County, and evacuation warnings remain in effect for other parts of the county as well as Plumas County. All evacuation orders and warnings in Butte County have been lifted.
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