Park Fire: Dramatic photos capture charred homes as firefighters try to put out one of California's largest fires ever
The largest fire in California this year continues to burn in the northern part of the state after spreading across an area larger than the city of Los Angeles.
The Park Fire, which started on July 24 near Chico, Calif., roughly an hour and a half north of Sacramento, has burned over 600 square miles across four counties — Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama.
So far, no deaths have been reported as a result of the Park Fire, though some have been treated for minor injuries.
Thousands of firefighters have responded to the fire, which was started after a man pushed a burning car in a gully, officials say. The 48-year-old man suspected of starting the wildfire was arrested and jailed without bail on July 25, according to Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey.
The Park Fire is one of over 4,500 wildfires that have burned over 726,000 acres of land in California so far this year, and it accounts for over 50% of that damage. On July 26, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Butte and Tehama counties because of the Park Fire. Newsom also secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant in order to deliver additional resources to fight the blaze.
“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.
Cooler temperatures are supposed to settle into the area later this week, which officials hope will help contain the fire.
