Over a dozen homes destroyed in Butte County's Thompson Fire
BUTTE COUNTY – More than a dozen homes were destroyed in a fire that burned more than 3,700 acres in Northern California last week, Cal Fire said on Sunday.
The Thompson Fire destroyed 13 single-family homes and damaged another five homes, according to Cal Fire's damage assessment.
The fire also destroyed 13 minor structures and damaged three others.
The Thompson Fire ignited Tuesday in the area of Cherokee Road and Thompson Flat Cemetery and scorched more than 3,700 acres. Containment was up to 86% as of Sunday.
Lake Oroville and most of the surrounding recreational areas and parks were closed on Independence Day. California State Parks said the lake reopened on Friday.
Oroville's popular Fourth of July fireworks show was canceled this year, and the city enforced a temporary fireworks ban.
During the early evening Thursday, Cal Fire's Butte department announced that an Oroville resident was arrested for setting a backfire hours after the Thompson Fire ignited on Tuesday. The man used a propane torch to burn around a quarter of an acre in a high-risk area.
Wildland firefighters typically use backfires to burn through combustible materials to create a barrier that a spreading wildfire would have difficulty crossing. The man arrested is not accused of starting the Thompson Fire.
On Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for the Thompson Fire. The state of emergency allows a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be secured in order to provide crucial resources to the area. The grant is provided through a federal disaster relief fund and could provide federal funding for up to 75% of firefighting costs.
Local emergencies were also declared this week at the county and city levels as the fire was threatening critical infrastructure including water supply and power supply to the Oroville area. The California Office of Emergency Services also deployed additional fire and law enforcement resources to the Oroville area earlier this week.
Residents were able to obtain free N-95 respirator masks to help deal with the poor air quality. The masks were being given out at the Department of Employment and Social Services at 78 Table Mountain Boulevard and Oroville Public Safety Facility at 2055 Lincoln Street, both in Oroville.
Eight firefighters have been injured, according to Cal Fire. The extent of their injuries is unknown.
One couple fought side-by-side with firefighters to save their home. They said the fire burned within feet of their porch and had mowed in anticipation of fire season.
A Camp Fire survivor was among volunteers providing free food, drinks and other resources to Thompson Fire evacuees in Oroville on Wednesday.
On Tuesday night, CBS Sacramento captured images of a burned-down home on Canyon Drive in north Oroville.
In addition to the images captured by CBS Sacramento, several photos from Getty Images depict structures and cars engulfed in flames in Oroville.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Butte County has a history of destructive wildfires. In 2018, the Camp Fire almost completely destroyed the town of Paradise, killing 85 people and scorching more than 150,000 acres. It was the deadliest wildfire in California history.
Evacuation zones and shelters
Mandatory evacuation orders had affected as many as 17,000 people near downtown Oroville east to Kelly Ridge and up north just past Cannon Reservoir.
All evacuation orders and warnings were lifted on Saturday.
The Hyatt Powerplant went offline as of Wednesday morning due to the de-energized powerlines shut off by Pacific Gas & Electric.
The evacuation shelter at the Oroville Church of the Nazarene at 2238 Monte Vista Ave. closed Friday at 5 p.m. The shelter at the Gridley Fairgrounds at 199 E Hazel St. in Gridley closed Thursday.
An evacuation shelter for small animals has been set up at 2279 Del Oro Ave. in Oroville, with a shelter for large animals operating at the Camelot Equestrian Park at 1985 Clark Road in Oroville.