CHICO, UNITED STATES: An out-of-control wildfire in northern California quickly became one of the largest ever in the western US state, authorities said Saturday.
The so-called Park Fire had burned more than 350,000 acres (142,000 hectares) as of Saturday evening, making it the seventh largest on record in California history, the state Cal Fire agency said.
The fire was only 10 percent contained, despite the efforts of more than 3,700 personnel with more than a dozen helicopters and several planes, according to an update from the agency.
“Cooler temperatures and higher humidity have reduced fire activity,” the agency said, adding that the fire was still spreading.
A park fire broke out near Chico in Butte County on Wednesday and devastated a wide area there and in neighboring Tehama County within hours.
Cal Fire’s latest update says 20 structures have been confirmed destroyed by the fire, reducing an earlier estimate to 134.
The agency said the numbers are expected to fluctuate as officials assess the damage on the ground.
The flames created a huge column of thick gray smoke that also spread across the surrounding states.
On Thursday, the police arrested a 42-year-old man on suspicion of starting the fire by pushing a burning car into a ravine.
Chico is only about 25 miles from Paradise, a city devastated by a 2018 wildfire that ranked among the deadliest in California and claimed 85 lives.
The Park Fire’s explosive growth has put Paradise on evacuation alert again, triggering painful memories for its residents.
Ava Elsner, a survivor of the 2018 fire, told CNN she fears for her neighbors as the Park fire rages.
It’s the most traumatic, scary and sad thing when a whole community goes up in flames,” she told the TV station.
Climate change, accelerated by human activity, is leading to more extreme weather events, experts say. In Oregon, the Durkee Fire, which broke out earlier this month, has consumed nearly 290,000 acres and is about 50 percent contained, the state Fire Response and Recovery Agency said.
