close
close

Park fire in Northern California destroys nearly 430,000 acres


Park fire in Northern California destroys nearly 430,000 acres

The Park Fire in Northern California, the largest blaze in the country, is now 37% contained as firefighters continue to contend with hot, dry weather conditions.

According to Cal Fire, the Park Fire has burned 429,188 acres of land as of Sunday morning.

According to Cal Fire, fire behavior was moderate overnight.

They said that, with the exception of some small, isolated fires, containment lines had held. The region will begin to experience a gradual cooling beginning early next week, with temperatures expected to fall to seasonal normal levels or below, authorities said.

Fire officials say their damage inspection teams have completed their assessments. In Butte and Tehama counties, 641 structures were destroyed and 52 damaged as of Sunday.

The fire broke out on July 24 in Upper Bidwell Park northeast of Chico.

Cal Fire investigators and the Butte County District Attorney’s Office said a man has been arrested in connection with the arson. The man was allegedly seen pushing a burning car into a ravine at Alligator Hole, where the fire started, officials said.

The man, identified as Ronnie Stout, 42, of Chico, appeared in court on July 29, where the judge ultimately ruled that Stout would remain in custody and would not be eligible for bail.

Click here to view the evacuation zone map.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *