Wildfire monitoring camera captures moments leading up to it being consumed by Park Fire
BUTTE COUNTY – A camera monitoring the Park Fire burning near Chico appears to have been overcome by the flames.
The camera, part of the Alert California network, was perched on a peak about nine miles northeast of the Chico Municipal Airport. It's been watching the Park Fire grow since Wednesday afternoon.
Around 6 p.m. Wednesday, the smoke plume from the fire started to take up nearly the whole frame of the camera.
TRAFFIC ALERT: State Route 32 is CLOSED, at the junction with State Route 36 in Tehama County and at Bruce Road in Butte County, due to the #ParkFire. There is no estimated time on when the roadway will reopen.@CaltransHQ @CaltransDist3 pic.twitter.com/BK4RTIVq8A
— Caltrans District 2 (@CaltransD2) July 25, 2024
By 7 p.m., smoke filled nearly all of the screen. Operators appear to have pointed the camera down shortly after, clearly capturing flames encroaching just under the tower.
The last image the camera sent back was at 8:24 p.m. An intense burst of flames could be seen just under the camera.
The camera has been offline since that time.
As of Thursday, the Park Fire has burned more than 71,000 acres and was only 3% contained. Evacuations have been ordered in parts of both Butte and Tehama counties.
California's wildfire monitoring cameras
In recent years, a network of cameras has been installed in high-fire-risk areas up and down California.
Emergency officials use the cameras to help guide firefighting efforts, with the live view helping better determine where the fire is burning and evaluate the type of response needed.
More than 300 cameras are part of the network.