Sacramento: On Saturday, a rapidly expanding wildfire in northern California became the largest fire currently burning in the U.S. The Park Fire has surged to more than 350,000 acres (141,640 hectares) in size—more than doubling within just 24 hours. This massive blaze is located approximately 90 miles (144 km) north of Sacramento, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
As of Saturday evening, the fire was 10% contained. The blaze has already destroyed 134 structures. Cooler temperatures and increased humidity in the region are anticipated to aid in efforts to control the fire.
Evacuation orders and warnings have been issued for several communities across multiple counties, including Paradise, which was devastated by the 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in California’s history.
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U.S. President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation and has instructed his team to provide full support to the firefighting efforts, a White House official reported.
On Thursday, a man was arrested on suspicion of igniting the Park Fire by pushing a flaming car into a gully.
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The Park Fire is among dozens of active blazes across the country, which have collectively burned more than 2 million acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. In Oregon, multiple fires are also burning, including the Durkee Fire, which has charred over 288,000 acres in the eastern part of the state. Additionally, a firefighter was killed when a single-engine tanker crashed near the Falls Fire in southeastern Oregon, the U.S. Forest Service confirmed on Friday.
