The Park fire in Northern California has now burned more than 350,000 acres, with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) sharing in a statement on Sunday that crews have reached 12% containment as the blaze grew to more than 353,194 acres. Evacuation orders have been issued in Butte County, Plumas County, Shasta County and Tehama County with shelters opened for small and large animals.
Cal Fire said that 4,000 firefighters and other personnel are trying to stop the blaze with at least 134 structures having been destroyed and five others damaged. Improved weather conditions helped firefighters make progress since Saturday, when it was zero percent contained.
The massive Park Fire in California is suspected to have been started when an arsonist pushed a burning car into a gully on Wednesday, and continued to grow despite crews having attempted to contain the blaze. Cal Fire said: “The fire is actively burning in heavy, receptive fuel beds. This allows the fire to expand rapidly. Warm, windy, and dry conditions will increase risk of extreme fire activity, similar to what the fire has done previously,” adding that there would be higher temperatures and lower humidities Sunday.
So far, 66 structures have been destroyed, including homes and businesses, and five have been damaged. Authorities are currently flying aircraft over the fire to map its spread. Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement: “This is already one of the biggest fires in California history, and we’re continuing to see dangerous conditions. Our firefighters and emergency responders are working day and night to protect our communities. Californians must heed warning from local authorities and take steps to stay safe.”
Newsom has proclaimed a state of emergency in Butte and Tehama counties, and California has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help in suppressing the fire: “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. Stay safe and remain alert for instructions from local authorities as dangerous fire weather conditions continue.”
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