Firefighting teams in the U.S. state of California continued their efforts on Thursday to control a rapidly spreading wildfire that forced more than 3,500 people to evacuate their homes, according to authorities. The "Park Fire" ignited on Wednesday evening during the last day of a heat wave affecting the region. Firefighting crews deployed over 1,150 personnel to tackle the blaze, which has only been contained by three percent, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. By Thursday at 12:00 PM local time (7:00 PM UTC), the fire had consumed 28,930 hectares, the department stated.
California Governor Gavin Newsom reported that more than 3,500 individuals evacuated their homes in the area. The town of Chico, threatened by the fire, is located about 20 kilometers west of the town of Paradise, which was devastated in 2018 by a wildfire that claimed 85 lives. Investigations have not yet revealed the cause of the "Park Fire," according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. A 42-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of starting the fire "after a witness saw an unknown man pushing a burning vehicle" to a site near where the fire ignited, according to a statement from Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey. The statement indicated that the vehicle was completely burned, leading to the spread of flames that ignited the "Park Fire."
On Thursday, the National Weather Service issued warnings about the escalating risk of fire due to climatic conditions, particularly wind gusts and low humidity. Scientists say that repeated heat waves are indicative of global warming related to climate change caused by humanity's reliance on fossil fuels. The current extreme heat sweeping across the United States follows the hottest June ever recorded globally, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
