Thompson Fire in Butte County prompts slew of evacuation orders near Oroville
BUTTE COUNTY – Evacuation orders and warnings have gone out in part of Butte County near Oroville due to a wildfire on Tuesday.
Cal Fire has named the incident the Thompson Fire, which started in the area of Cherokee Road and Thompson Flat Cemetery and has burned more than 2,100 acres.
Mandatory evacuations are affecting approximately 13,000 people near downtown Oroville east to Kelly Ridge and up north just past Cannon Reservoir. Evacuation Orders are in place for the following zones: 532-536, 700-716, 730, 731, 800, 851, 953, 954, 958, 959, 960, and 965.
Evacuation Warnings are in effect for Zones 531, 726, 727, 801, 802, 804-811, 816. Here is a live map of the evacuation zones.
Cal Fire said a spot fire across the diversion pool along Lakeland Boulevard that has grown to about 30-40 acres. Ground and air resources are at the scene.
Evacuation shelters were open at the Oroville Church of the Nazarene at 2238 Monte Vista Ave. and the Gridley Fairgrounds at 199 E Hazel St. in Gridley.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.