Mapping the Park Fire: California's largest wildfire burns over 300,000 acres in 3 days
The Park Fire is this year's largest wildfire in California, burning over 390,000 acres. The record-breaking blaze torched 71,000 acres in its first 24 hours.
CalFire issued evacuation orders and warnings across the region. No fatalities have been reported. The fire, currently 18 percent contained, is reported to be the result of arson.
Some communities are in immediate danger said Rick Carhart, public information officer with CalFire and the Butte County Fire Department. “Cohasset and Forest Ranch are under evacuation orders now, so the structures in those areas are in immediate threat and we're hopeful that everybody has heeded the evacuation orders.”
Please check the CalFire website for the latest fire perimeter maps and evacuation information.
Evacuation maps:
Where in California is the Park Fire?
The blaze started at approximately 4 p.m. local time Wednesday near Upper Park Road in Upper Bidwell Park, east of Chico.
How big is the Park Fire?
According to CalFire this is the largest blaze in the state this year. 2024's second largest active fire is the 2024 SQF Lightning Complex fire, which has burned at least 89,000 acres and is 34 percent contained.
Webcam shows Park Fire spreading rapidly in Butte County
The Park Fire has burned over 390,000 acres
After weeks with temperatures in triple-digits the fire grew rapidly. “In well less than 12 hours the fire grew to 45,000 acres,” said Carhart. “Our first units at scene reported 4 to 5 acres. Next, we heard it was 50 and then all of a sudden it was 500, 6,400 acres and then I believe 4 hours after that it was 45,000.”
In addition to unfavorable firefighting weather conditions — gusty winds and low humidity, this area has not had a fire in a number of years, said Carhart.
Was this area at risk for a fire like this?
A 2019 analysis of wildfire hazard potential by The Arizona Republic and the USA TODAY Network showed that communities in the vicinity of this fire faced particular dangers in a wildfire scenario. Cohasset, for example is well above the median for evacuation constraint, meaning limited routes out of a community can lead to mass congestion during evacuation. You can search for your community below, or learn more by reading the report: Where will the West's next deadly wildfire strike? The risks are everywhere.
According to Carhart of CalFire, “These two areas of Butte County are areas that we have been looking at for a while as being pretty threatening as far as having a big wildfire because there's essentially no fire history in the area so there's nothing in the past for a number of years that has burned off the undergrowth and the brush has just been growing which fuels fires making them much more dangerous."
Search for your town here:Look up Wildfire risks for every Western community
How did the Park Fire start?
A California man is to be charged with arson after prosecutors say he started the fire. Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said bystanders caught the man pushing a flaming car into a gully before it dropped into an embankment and burned.
Those flames caused the Park Fire, the district attorney's office said. Stout was being held in Butte County jail with no possibility of bail until he's arraigned on Monday afternoon, "undoubtedly under a count of arson," Ramsey said.
First-responders are focused on evacuations and defensive measures including lines of containment utilizing bulldozers, fire crews and fire engines, according to CalFire. Additional personnel and resources, including air tankers are inbound from various areas across the state. It remains unclear how many structures have burned.
Carhart says there are an estimated 1,100 people working the fire.
Where is wildfire smoke and air quality at its worst?
Active fire, smoke and air quailty maps:Where is wildfire smoke and air quality at its worst?