NEW DELHI: Authorities in California have arrested a suspect believed to be responsible for starting the Park Fire, which has grown into the largest wildfire in the state this year. The fire began when a burning car was pushed into a gully, leading to flames that have already scorched over 188 square miles near Chico.
Evacuations have been mandated in Butte and Tehama counties, with containment at a mere 3% by Thursday evening.Meanwhile, firefighters in the Pacific Northwest also contended with multiple blazes.
Another fire outbreak in California, this time near the Nevada border, led to the displacement of around 1,000 people following evacuation orders on Monday night. The Gold Complex fires, caused by lightning, have devoured more than 4 square miles of land within the Plumas National Forest, about 50 miles northwest of Reno.
According to Adrienne Freeman, a spokeswoman for the Forest Service, there have been no reports of structural damage or serious injuries from these fires.
“We’ve made some really good progress on the fires,” said Forest Service operations section chief Tom Browning on Thursday. “But it’s hot, it’s dry, and it’s very windy. With the wind and the heat, we don’t have great containment on all these lines.”
Over at the Park Fire, fire crews are battling not just the flames but also gusty winds that cause new spot fires up to a mile away from the main fire lines. Tim Fike, the incident commander at the Gold Complex fires, pointed out that these conditions are posing severe challenges.
“That’s been a big, big problem on the Park Fire right now,” Fike noted.
In Oregon, residents of Huntington were allowed to return home following a thunderstorm that brought both much-needed rain and lightning—elements that both aided and threatened the firefighting efforts. The Durkee Fire in Oregon, the nation’s largest active blaze, along with another nearby fire, has burned nearly 630 square miles.
Baker County Sheriff Travis Ash described the rain as a “godsend.” The Oregon State Fire Marshal emphasised the advantage the weather change offered firefighters.
Lightning strikes have also led to 15 new fires in Idaho overnight, with several already extinguished by Thursday afternoon, according to the US Forest Service in Boise. The National Weather Service in Boise detected more than 2,800 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in southeast Oregon and Idaho on Wednesday.
Overall, the Pacific Northwest has seen nearly 1,562 square miles of land burned this summer. In Oregon alone, there are 34 large fires, mostly in the central and eastern regions.
The rise in wildfire incidents across the Pacific Northwest and western Canada is tied to climate change, which has increased occurrences of lightning strikes. Record-breaking heat and dry conditions are exacerbating the situation. For the first time, Idaho Power initiated a pre-emptive power outage to prevent the start of new fires by downing power lines.
In northern California, fire crews are prioritising evacuations and protecting structures while constructing containment lines using bulldozers in anticipation of further fire spread. CAL FIRE/ Butte County Fire Department reported no deaths or structural damages related to the Park Fire.
A smaller but rapidly moving fire in southern California has also necessitated evacuation orders. The Grove Fire near the border of San Diego and Riverside Counties expanded to 1.4 square miles overnight and had 10% containment by Thursday afternoon. The topography of the land is reportedly making it particularly difficult for firefighting efforts.
Montana is under a fire warning due to high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds. Missoula experienced hurricane-force winds, which toppled trees and downed power lines, causing officials to warn the public about the potential dangers of electrified rivers.
In Canada, a quick-moving fire hit the town of Jasper in Jasper National Park, causing thousands to evacuate and inflicting significant damage. Like their US counterparts, these wildfires have led to air quality alerts and advice as thick smoke blankets the sky.
Evacuations have been mandated in Butte and Tehama counties, with containment at a mere 3% by Thursday evening.Meanwhile, firefighters in the Pacific Northwest also contended with multiple blazes.
Another fire outbreak in California, this time near the Nevada border, led to the displacement of around 1,000 people following evacuation orders on Monday night. The Gold Complex fires, caused by lightning, have devoured more than 4 square miles of land within the Plumas National Forest, about 50 miles northwest of Reno.
According to Adrienne Freeman, a spokeswoman for the Forest Service, there have been no reports of structural damage or serious injuries from these fires.
“We’ve made some really good progress on the fires,” said Forest Service operations section chief Tom Browning on Thursday. “But it’s hot, it’s dry, and it’s very windy. With the wind and the heat, we don’t have great containment on all these lines.”
Over at the Park Fire, fire crews are battling not just the flames but also gusty winds that cause new spot fires up to a mile away from the main fire lines. Tim Fike, the incident commander at the Gold Complex fires, pointed out that these conditions are posing severe challenges.
“That’s been a big, big problem on the Park Fire right now,” Fike noted.
In Oregon, residents of Huntington were allowed to return home following a thunderstorm that brought both much-needed rain and lightning—elements that both aided and threatened the firefighting efforts. The Durkee Fire in Oregon, the nation’s largest active blaze, along with another nearby fire, has burned nearly 630 square miles.
Baker County Sheriff Travis Ash described the rain as a “godsend.” The Oregon State Fire Marshal emphasised the advantage the weather change offered firefighters.
Lightning strikes have also led to 15 new fires in Idaho overnight, with several already extinguished by Thursday afternoon, according to the US Forest Service in Boise. The National Weather Service in Boise detected more than 2,800 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in southeast Oregon and Idaho on Wednesday.
Overall, the Pacific Northwest has seen nearly 1,562 square miles of land burned this summer. In Oregon alone, there are 34 large fires, mostly in the central and eastern regions.
The rise in wildfire incidents across the Pacific Northwest and western Canada is tied to climate change, which has increased occurrences of lightning strikes. Record-breaking heat and dry conditions are exacerbating the situation. For the first time, Idaho Power initiated a pre-emptive power outage to prevent the start of new fires by downing power lines.
In northern California, fire crews are prioritising evacuations and protecting structures while constructing containment lines using bulldozers in anticipation of further fire spread. CAL FIRE/ Butte County Fire Department reported no deaths or structural damages related to the Park Fire.
A smaller but rapidly moving fire in southern California has also necessitated evacuation orders. The Grove Fire near the border of San Diego and Riverside Counties expanded to 1.4 square miles overnight and had 10% containment by Thursday afternoon. The topography of the land is reportedly making it particularly difficult for firefighting efforts.
Montana is under a fire warning due to high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds. Missoula experienced hurricane-force winds, which toppled trees and downed power lines, causing officials to warn the public about the potential dangers of electrified rivers.
In Canada, a quick-moving fire hit the town of Jasper in Jasper National Park, causing thousands to evacuate and inflicting significant damage. Like their US counterparts, these wildfires have led to air quality alerts and advice as thick smoke blankets the sky.