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Park Fire: All Tehama County evacuations lifted as crews largely subdue wildfire

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Park Fire: All Tehama County evacuations lifted as crews largely subdue wildfire
As crews make considerable progress in extinguishing what was once a raging wildfire, officials on Tuesday have lifted all remaining evacuations for the Park Fire.The Park Fire, which started July 24 at Upper Bidwell Park, has destroyed hundreds of homes in Butte and Tehama counties. It has burned enough acres to become California's fourth-largest wildfire in the state's recorded history. | MORE | California's 20 largest wildfiresAs of Aug. 20, 637 structures have been destroyed, a figure which has not changed for days, according to Cal Fire's incident updates. About 1,000 structures remain threatened.At the wildfire's peak, about 10,000 structures were threatened. Forty-nine structures were also partially damaged, Cal Fire said. California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Butte and Tehama counties. Impacted residents will be able to access unemployment benefits more easily and will have fees waived if they need to replace driver's licenses and records such as marriage and birth certificates. The Butte County public health officer has declared a local health emergency because of the hazardous materials found in ash and debris from the fire. This allows the county to access programs to remove toxic substances in destroyed properties. The county’s board of supervisors will have to ratify the declaration within a week.Shasta County also declared a local emergency. That means the California Office of Emergency Services and allied agencies would be mobilized to assist the county.During a press conference, Tehama County Sheriff David Kain said that a looting incident in an evacuation zone is being investigated. Kain said a rental truck was abandoned by two people in the county after they got stuck on a bridge. The vehicle was searched and there was nothing of value inside, but Kain said there is reason to believe the two people were on their way to loot evacuated homes. Park Fire acreage, containment and conditionsAs of 10:14 a.m. on Aug. 20, the Park Fire has burned at least 429,401 acres, a number which has been minimally increasing as firefighters are able to better map the burn area.The fire is 55% contained as of Aug. 20. Containment is not used to measure how much of the fire is extinguished. It's instead used to gauge how much of a perimeter around the burn area is established to prevent flames from spreading further. About 6,600 personnel are assigned to combat the Park Fire. Officials said crews came from as far as Texas to help.Park Fire evacuations, shelter information and road closuresOn Tuesday Aug. 20, Cal Fire said all remaining evacuations in Tehama County were lifted.The Park Fire earlier also forced evacuations in Butte, Shasta and Plumas counties.Cal Fire said road closures remain in place for the following areas:Highway 172 between Mineral and Hole in The Ground CampgroundHighway 89 between Highway 36 and Summit LakeArrest made in connection with suspected Park Fire arsonThe Butte County District Attorney's Office said a 42-year-old Chico man is accused of starting the Park Fire.Ronnie Dean Stout II was arrested after he was seen pushing his mother's car that was on fire into a gully near the Alligator Hole in upper Bidwell Park shortly before 3 p.m. on Wednesday. That was around the same time the Park Fire sparked. A photo released by the DA's office showed a vehicle and the nearby vegetation largely scorched. Stout has two previous "strike" convictions, the DA's office said. One was for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 in 2001 in Butte County. The other was for robbery with great bodily injury in 2002 in Kern County. After that second conviction, he was sentenced to state prison for 20 years.Stout appeared in court on Monday and again on Thursday. How the fire compares to past yearsThe Park Fire has become the largest wildfire in California since the Dixie Fire, which sparked in July 2021 and went on to burn more than 963,000 acres.In 2023, the largest fire in the state was the Smith River Complex Fire in Del Norte. That fire spread to 95,107 acres.In 2022, the largest fire in the state was the Mosquito Fire, which spread to 76,788 acres.The total acreage burned by fire in 2023 was 324,917, while in 2022, it was 331,358 acres. | MORE |A 2024 guide for how to prepare for wildfires in CaliforniaHere are key websites that are important for all Californians during wildfire season.Cal Fire wildfire incidents: Cal Fire tracks its wildfire incidents here. You can sign up to receive text messages for Cal Fire updates on wildfires happening near your ZIP code here.Wildfires on federal land: Federal wildfire incidents are tracked here.Preparing for power outages: Ready.gov explains how to prepare for a power outage and what to do when returning from one here. Here is how to track and report PG&E power outages.Keeping informed when you've lost power and cellphone service: How to find a National Weather Service radio station near you.Be prepared for road closures: Download Caltrans' QuickMap app or check the latest QuickMap road conditions here.

As crews make considerable progress in extinguishing what was once a raging wildfire, officials on Tuesday have lifted all remaining evacuations for the Park Fire.

The Park Fire, which started July 24 at Upper Bidwell Park, has destroyed hundreds of homes in Butte and Tehama counties. It has burned enough acres to become California's fourth-largest wildfire in the state's recorded history.

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| MORE | California's 20 largest wildfires

As of Aug. 20, 637 structures have been destroyed, a figure which has not changed for days, according to Cal Fire's incident updates. About 1,000 structures remain threatened.

At the wildfire's peak, about 10,000 structures were threatened. Forty-nine structures were also partially damaged, Cal Fire said.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Butte and Tehama counties. Impacted residents will be able to access unemployment benefits more easily and will have fees waived if they need to replace driver's licenses and records such as marriage and birth certificates.

The Butte County public health officer has declared a local health emergency because of the hazardous materials found in ash and debris from the fire. This allows the county to access programs to remove toxic substances in destroyed properties. The county’s board of supervisors will have to ratify the declaration within a week.

Shasta County also declared a local emergency. That means the California Office of Emergency Services and allied agencies would be mobilized to assist the county.

During a press conference, Tehama County Sheriff David Kain said that a looting incident in an evacuation zone is being investigated.

Kain said a rental truck was abandoned by two people in the county after they got stuck on a bridge. The vehicle was searched and there was nothing of value inside, but Kain said there is reason to believe the two people were on their way to loot evacuated homes.

Park Fire acreage, containment and conditions

As of 10:14 a.m. on Aug. 20, the Park Fire has burned at least 429,401 acres, a number which has been minimally increasing as firefighters are able to better map the burn area.

The fire is 55% contained as of Aug. 20. Containment is not used to measure how much of the fire is extinguished. It's instead used to gauge how much of a perimeter around the burn area is established to prevent flames from spreading further.

About 6,600 personnel are assigned to combat the Park Fire. Officials said crews came from as far as Texas to help.

Park Fire evacuations, shelter information and road closures

On Tuesday Aug. 20, Cal Fire said all remaining evacuations in Tehama County were lifted.

The Park Fire earlier also forced evacuations in Butte, Shasta and Plumas counties.

Cal Fire said road closures remain in place for the following areas:

  • Highway 172 between Mineral and Hole in The Ground Campground
  • Highway 89 between Highway 36 and Summit Lake

Arrest made in connection with suspected Park Fire arson

The Butte County District Attorney's Office said a 42-year-old Chico man is accused of starting the Park Fire.

park fire july 25,2024
Butte County District Attorney
Ronnie Dean Stout II

Ronnie Dean Stout II was arrested after he was seen pushing his mother's car that was on fire into a gully near the Alligator Hole in upper Bidwell Park shortly before 3 p.m. on Wednesday. That was around the same time the Park Fire sparked.

A photo released by the DA's office showed a vehicle and the nearby vegetation largely scorched.

Man started Park Fire in Butte County with burning car, officials say
Butte County District Attorney

Stout has two previous "strike" convictions, the DA's office said. One was for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 in 2001 in Butte County. The other was for robbery with great bodily injury in 2002 in Kern County. After that second conviction, he was sentenced to state prison for 20 years.

Stout appeared in court on Monday and again on Thursday.

How the fire compares to past years

The Park Fire has become the largest wildfire in California since the Dixie Fire, which sparked in July 2021 and went on to burn more than 963,000 acres.

In 2023, the largest fire in the state was the Smith River Complex Fire in Del Norte. That fire spread to 95,107 acres.

In 2022, the largest fire in the state was the Mosquito Fire, which spread to 76,788 acres.

The total acreage burned by fire in 2023 was 324,917, while in 2022, it was 331,358 acres.

| MORE |A 2024 guide for how to prepare for wildfires in California

Here are key websites that are important for all Californians during wildfire season.