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An enormous wildfire in northern California, known as the Park Fire, has been spreading at an alarming rate of 8 square miles per hour. As of Saturday, the fire has scorched over 348,000 acres northeast of Chico, and remains 0% contained, according to Cal Fire. Suspected to have been started by arson, the fire began on Wednesday when a burning car was allegedly rolled into a gully near Alligator Hole in Butte County.
The blaze, fueled by steep terrain and strong wind gusts, is the largest in California this year, covering an area more than 1.5 times the size of New York Cityβs five boroughs. Approximately 2,500 firefighters are battling the fire, but resources are stretched thin, with almost three times the personnel deployed compared to the previous day. Scott Weese, a fire behaviour analyst with Cal Fire, noted the high fuel load in the area, consisting of abundant grass, and described the fire’s heat signature as massive.
On Saturday, conditions slightly improved with reduced wind speeds and temperatures dropping by about 15Β°F. Officials hoped to leverage these conditions to contain parts of the blaze. The fire has already destroyed 134 structures and threatens 4,200 more, leading to mandatory evacuations in Butte County, including Cohasset. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Butte and Tehama counties, emphasising the state’s commitment to using all available resources to protect lives and property.
The Park Fire is among many wildfires currently raging across the United States and Canada. In Oregon, a firefighting pilot tragically died in a tanker plane crash. Meanwhile, in Canada, a wildfire in Jasper National Park has destroyed hundreds of buildings, though weekend rain and cooler temperatures have aided firefighting efforts in the historic tourism town of Jasper.
