More than 6,000 firefighters in Central Valley, California, continued to battle the largest fire in the United States on Saturday, which has made its way into history as the fourth largest recorded fire in the state. Meteorological experts noted that the rain was extremely scarce on Saturday. The heat reaching 38 degrees Celsius, combined with winds gusting at 40 kilometers per hour or more in some areas, provided little relief for firefighters trying to contain the "Park Fire," which has burned an area roughly 161 kilometers north of Sacramento, the state capital.
There were allegations that a man intentionally started the Park Fire by pushing a burning car down a 60-foot ravine near Chico, California, on July 24. Since then, the fire has consumed over 400,000 acres, an area larger than the city of Los Angeles. Officials reported that the 42-year-old man had not pleaded guilty as of Saturday but faced charges of arson and was held without bail. More than 560 homes and other structures have been destroyed since the fire broke out 11 days ago, as flames engulfed fallen timber and dry grass. Officials stated that the fire had been contained by 27% as of Saturday. Over 4,000 people have been evacuated due to the Park Fire.
According to officials, the rugged and wild terrain means it takes two to three hours to reach the fire lines. Some firefighters are being airlifted to the front lines by helicopters, and some are expected to remain there for days as supplies are also being brought in. The local wildfire season has started intensely, increasing the risk of depleting firefighting resources. The National Interagency Fire Center has already requested assistance from firefighters in Australia and New Zealand, who are set to arrive starting August 7 and will be deployed in Oregon and Washington.
