The Park Fire, which began just 65 hours ago when one man pushed a burning car into a gully in Bidwell Park, continues to roar into the record books with unmatched speed and uncontrollable fury.
Cal Fire – Butte County’s 7 a.m. update lists the fire at 307,368 acres — a growth of nearly 70,000 acres in just the past 10 hours.
That makes it, already, the eighth biggest wildfire in California’s history. At its current unprecedented rate of growth, the Park Fire could well end up being the fourth-biggest wildfire in state history by sunrise tomorrow; the current fourth-biggest, the SCU Lightning Complex of August 2020, burned 396,624 acres.
The seventh largest is the North Complex Fire, which burned 318,935 in Plumas and Butte counties in August 2020. That figure will likely be eclipsed long before the next acreage update is released today, especially with the Park Fire still at zero percent containment.
Southeasterly winds continue to overwhelm firefighters on the north head of the fire, which has crossed Highway 36 in Tehama County and led to evacuation orders in the Manton, Mineral and Dale’s Station areas. In terms of land, Tehama County has become the county hardest hit by the Park Fire; 255,178 acres of the fire have burned there.
The fire has even begun to make its mark in Shasta County. Evacuation orders have been issued for all Shasta County zones south of Highway 44 in the Shingletown area.
And residents of the ridge, including in Magalia and Paradise, got the sickening news last night they’ve come to know all-too-well: an evacuation warning. The fire has also burned up and around Inskip Hill.
Cal Fire’s morning update did include one glimmer of hope: improved weather conditions. Cooler weather and higher moisture in the air is expected for today, which should aid efforts against a fire burning in grass, brush, mixed timber and dead vegetation.
For a full list of evacuation zones — including both orders and warnings — go to Cal Fire’s link.
An American Red Cross fire shelter is accepting evacuees at the Neighborhood Church in Chico at 2800 Notre Dame Blvd. A small animal shelter is in operation at 2279 Del Oro in Oroville, and a large animal shelter is available at the Camelot Equestrian Park, 1985 Clark Road in Oroville.
In Tehama County, shelters are available at the Los Molinos Veterans Hall at 7980 Sherwood Blvd., and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church at 510 Jefferson Street in Red Bluff. A small animal shelter is available at 22005 Gilmore Ranch Road in Red Bluff.
Cal Fire-Butte County has activated its 211 information number for locals and also 866-916-3566 for callers outside of Butte County.
This story will be updated with further details on the fire and evacuation orders throughout the day.
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