California's Park Fire surpasses 300,000 acres burned as evacuations span multiple counties
CHICO — Northern California's Park Fire has surpassed 300,000 acres burned as evacuation orders affect four counties—Butte, Tehama, Shasta and Plumas.
As of Friday night, Cal Fire reported that containment remains at 0%. The Park Fire is the largest wildfire in the state so far this year.
Cal Fire incident commander Billy See said the fire was burning through fire retardant lines in Tehama County and was spreading at a rapid rate of 4,000 to 5,000 acres per hour. Most of the burn area has been in Tehama County with the flames spreading north toward Shasta County.
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Friday afternoon that about 4,000 residents are under evacuation. The number was not yet clear for the other counties.
Cal Fire said the Park Fire was the result of suspected arson and ignited around 3 p.m. Wednesday in the Upper Bidwell Park area, about four miles northeast of Chico's city center, in Butte County.
Cal Fire noted on Friday that 134 structures have been destroyed, while 4,200 remain threatened. No specifics have been released on the kinds of structures destroyed, but it's clear that several homes have been burned.
On Friday evening, California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Butte and Tehama counties.
"We are using every available tool to protect lives and property as our fire and emergency response teams work around the clock to combat these challenging fires," Newsom said in a statement. "Stay safe and remain alert for instructions from local authorities as dangerous fire weather conditions continue."
A local emergency was declared in Butte County Thursday night, allowing the county to request more resources from the state. Ahead of the local emergency being declared, Newsom secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from FEMA to help with the state's response to the fire.
An Alert California tower camera in the area captured a fire tornado, or firenado, near Chico early Thursday evening.
Arson suspect arrested
The Butte County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday they had arrested a man suspected of starting the fire. As detailed by the DA's office, a man was seen pushing a car that was on fire down into the gully near Alligator Hole in upper Bidwell Park -- allegedly spreading the flames that would become the Park Fire.
He was arrested Thursday and identified by the district attorney's office as Chico resident Ronnie Dean Stout II, 42. He was reportedly seen calmly leaving the area, trying to blend in with other people.
Alligator Hole is a popular area for people to cool off during the summer and is about six miles east of Chico's city plaza. Upper Bidwell Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the nation and is home to many hiking and biking trails, swimming holes and picnic areas.
Fire activity
Jeremy Pierce, operations section chief for Cal Fire, reported during a news conference at 3 p.m. Friday that a dozer line has moved along the western portion of the fire line. The fire has been holding in that area and crews are continuing to improve the lines to ensure the fire continues to hold.
Incident commander Billy See said the fire was growing north at a rapid rate in Tehama County. He said crews are looking for opportunities to prevent the fire from crossing Highway 36, mentioning the fire has not reached that far at this point.
Pierce said ground crews are working to try and access the fire in the northern area but access is limited. He said the fire is outpacing aircraft operations by "running through our fire retardant lines."
On the eastern side of the fire, Pierce also reported rapid growth and spotting in the area. This is where crews are working to try and hold the fire on the northwest side of Highway 32.
For the southeastern section of the fire, Pierce reported good progress in the area with the fire holding within lines near Highway 32.
A Red Flag Warning is set to expire at 11 p.m. Friday.
Evacuation orders and shelters
Butte County
Evacuations were first issued in Butte County. Several zones stretching northeast from Bidwell Park up Highway 32 to the Butte Meadows and Jonesville areas are under mandatory evacuation orders. It includes Cohasset Ridge, Keefer Ridge and Forest Ranch.
Evacuation warnings are in effect for zones on the east side of that area, from Butte Canyon Creek and all of Paradise northeast through Magalia and Stirling City, and up to the Inskip area and around Philbrook Reservoir, just south of Jonestown. They also include the Chico airport, west to Highway 99 and north to Wookey Road.
An evacuation shelter in Butte County was set up at Neighborhood Church at 2801 Notre Dame Blvd. in Chico. A second evacuation shelter is open at the Butte County Fairgrounds at 199 E. Hazel St. in Gridley.
A shelter for small animals is operating at 2279 Del Oro, in Oroville. Large animals can be taken to Camelot Equestrian Park at 1985 Clark Rd. in Oroville.
In Butte County, Cohasset Road was closed at Rock Creek, and Upper Park Road was closed at Wildwood, Cal Fire said. Additionally, Highway 32 is closed from Bruce Road in Chico to Highway 36.
Tehama County
In Tehama County, nearly the entire eastern side of the county, from the southern border to the northern border, is under mandatory evacuation orders. This continues from the Cohasset area near the Butte border through the Ishi Wilderness and Tehama Wildlife Area, through Highway 36 to the Shasta County border, east of Highway 99.
A few zones are under evacuation warnings on the east side of Highway 99 and west of the mandatory zones, stretching from the Butte County border north to the Shasta County border. A few zones in the easternmost part of the county, where Highways 36 and 32 meet, are also under evacuation warnings.
An evacuation shelter in Tehama County is operating in Los Molinos at 7980 Sherwood Blvd.
Shasta County
In Shasta County, several zones between the Manton and Shingletown areas and stretching west and east on the south side of Highway 49 are also under mandatory evacuation orders. Dozens of zones on the north side of Highway 49 are under evacuation warnings.
A temporary shelter point for Shasta evacuees is set up at the Dollar General on Highway 44 in Shingletown, the sheriff's office said. Another one will be set up at Bella Vista Elementary School at 22661 Old Alturas Rd.
Plumas County
An area of Plumas County extending from the west side of Lake Almanor and Highway 36 down to the Grizzly Creek bridge along the Feather River Highway is under an evacuation warning. This is east of the burn area.
Butte County residents can view a live evacuation map here to see the exact zones. Tehama, Shasta and Plumas County residents can view a live evacuation map here.
Butte County has had a very busy fire season this summer. The Thomspon Fire in the Oroville area recently scorched more than 3,700 acres, forced tens of thousands of people from their homes, and destroyed dozens of structures, including houses.
The day after the Thompson Fire started, the Grubbs Fire just south of that in Palermo was much smaller but also forced evacuations.
In mid-July, the Railbridge Fire, just south of Palermo, burned 130 acres, forced evacuations, destroyed or damaged several structures and injured at least one person.
Back in June, the Apache Fire, which burned in the same general area near Oroville and Palermo, scorched nearly 700 acres and forced its own round of evacuations.
Nearly two weeks before the Apache Fire, the Junes Fire burned nearly 1,100 acres in Palermo and also forced people from their homes.
The Park Fire is burning just west of where the destructive Camp and Dixie fires happened in Butte County.
The 2021 Dixie Fire burned nearly 1 million acres across Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Lassen and Tehama counties.
Further back in 2018, the Camp Fire burned more than 150,000 acres in Butte County, nearly destroying the town of Paradise. It is the deadliest fire in state history, killing 85 people.
