California wildfire spreads uncontained, over 1600 firefighters deployed

A Cal Fire truck drives during the Park Fire near Chico, California, US, on July 26. The Park Fire is California's largest wildfire this year. Photo / Benjamin Fanjoy / via Getty Images

• More than 1600 firefighters are battling California’s largest active fire, which has scorched over 307,000 acres.
• Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in two counties; thousands of buildings are at risk.
• The fire started by a man pushing a burning car into a gully in Chico on Wednesday.

California’s largest active fire has rapidly spread, with more than 1600 firefighters working to douse the massive flames.

The fire, which began on Wednesday when a man pushed a burning car into a gully in Chico, has burned through more than 307,000 acres, or about 1243sq km as of Saturday.

Authorities said the blaze had not been contained at all since Friday afternoon, when the fire was advancing up to 13sq km an hour.

Flames have so far destroyed 130 structures, and thousands more buildings are at stake.

California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, declared a state of emergency for two counties, and authorities have ordered evacuations in four of the state’s 58 counties.

This 15 minute timelapes shows just how fast the eastern flank of the fire is spreading.#ParkFire #ParkFireChico pic.twitter.com/utV3ci0iwl

— CA_Wildfires (@CA_Wildfires) July 26, 2024

Extreme weather phenomena from raging fires to severe droughts and heavy rainfalls have swept across the globe in recent years – an impact of climate change.

Some wildfires have been caused by increased lightning strikes and record summer heat, which is creating bone-dry conditions.

Over this past week, the world broke the record for the Earth’s hottest day ever – twice in a row, first on July 21, then on the following day.

The #ParkFire has grown to a mind-boggling 348,370 acres in less than 72 hours, becoming one of the fastest-growing wildfires in California history.

The fire has been spreading at an average pace of over 60 football fields per minute since it began. pic.twitter.com/1gXqMWfv8a

— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) July 27, 2024

California’s Park Fire was one of 104 active fires burning in the US on Saturday, covering a total of 2845sq km, according to the US National Interagency Fire Centre.

North of California in the state of Oregon, firefighters are scrambling to contain the biggest active fire in the US right now – the Durkee Fire, which combined with the Cow Fire,has burned through 630sq km.

About 20% of the fire had been contained as of Friday.

The Durkee Fire in Eastern Oregon is the largest wildfire in the nation tonight with more than 288,000 acres burned so far.

123 active fires are now burning in Oregon and collectively have burned more than 1.02 million acres, an area larger than the entire state of Rhode Island. pic.twitter.com/EhKvIAUKgJ

— Robert Enninga (Bob)💙 (@Robert_Enninga) July 27, 2024

In Oregon, one pilot was found dead in a small air tanker plane that crashed while fighting one of the wildfires spreading across the US West.

Fires are also raging in Canada’s Alberta province, with flames licking through the Canadian Rockies town of Jasper, prompting authorities to warn of a “wall of fire.”

So far this year, more than 27,000 fires have burned down more than 5800sq m in the US, according to US authorities.

In Canada, more than 3700 fires have burned down more than 8000sq m this year, according to Canadian authorities.