NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Park Fire, burning east of Chico, has grown to 383,619 acres and is now California’s largest current fire.
According to CAL FIRE, the perimeter has been measured at 260 miles, which means the fire has burned more than three times the surface area of Lake Tahoe.
Crews say the fire, which is mostly in steep terrain with many inaccessible areas, continues to burn very actively.
Heavy wind and low fuel moisture have posed challenges to firefighters who are working to suppress the fire’s spread.
On Monday, an additional engine strike team was sent from CAL FIRE’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit to assist with the fire fight.
A 42-year-old Chico man has been arrested in connection to starting the Park Fire after witnesses say they observed him push a burning car into a culvert near the Alligator Hole in upper Bidwell Park Wednesday afternoon.
Several areas are under evacuation orders and warnings. To get more information on evacuations, visit the Park Fire incident page on CAL FIRE’s website.
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