braking news California’s largest wildfire explodes in size as fires rage across US West

California's Park Fire, the state's largest active fire, experienced a rapid expansion on Friday evening due to dry conditions, threatening thousands of homes and prompting evacuations in four counties: Butte, Plumas, Tehama, and Shasta. The fire has destroyed over 130 structures and has grown to 480 square miles (1,243 square kilometers), moving swiftly north and east. The fire was ignited when a man pushed a burning car into a ravine in Chico and then blended in with evacuees. Firefighters are struggling to contain the blaze, which is advancing at up to 8 square miles (21 square kilometers) per hour.

The Park Fire's intensity and spread have drawn comparisons to the 2018 Camp Fire, which was devastating in its own right. The Camp Fire killed 85 people and destroyed 11,000 homes near Paradise, California. The current fire situation has led to the evacuation of staff from the Lassen Volcanic National Park and has affected communities in the U.S. West and Canada, where lightning-sparked blazes have caused evacuations.

In eastern Oregon, a pilot was killed when a small air tanker crashed while battling one of the many wildfires spreading across the Western states. There are over 110 active fires covering 2,800 square miles (7,250 square kilometers) in the U.S., some caused by lightning strikes, which are more frequent due to climate change and record heat.

In eastern Washington, a fire destroyed homes and outbuildings near Tyler, prompting evacuations. Carli Parker, a resident of Chico, California, fled her home as the Park Fire approached, having been warned by police to evacuate. Ronnie Dean Stout, 42, of Chico, was arrested in connection with the Park Fire and is being held without bail.

Fire crews have made progress on the Gold Complex fires in the Plumas National Forest near the California-Nevada line, with most of the 1,000 residents who were evacuated returning home. However, some crews have been redirected to assist with the Park Fire. The Gold Complex fire incident commander, Tim Hike, noted that some fires are burning at rates that are hard to imagine, highlighting the severity of the situation.
The document describes the harrowing experiences of evacuees from wildfires in the western United States and Canada. Sherry Alpers, a resident of Timber Ranch, fled with her 12 pet chickens, choosing to sleep in her car rather than relocate to a shelter that would confine her free-roaming birds. She expressed less concern for her material possessions than for the safety of her pets. Similarly, Brian Bowles, with his dog Diamon, faced the dilemma of whether to use his limited funds for a motel room or gas for his car.

The document also reports on the tragic loss of an air tanker pilot who died when their plane crashed while battling the Falls Fire in Oregon. The most severe damage mentioned is in Canada's Jasper National Park, a World Heritage site, where a fast-moving wildfire forced the evacuation of 25,000 people and devastated the area. In Idaho, lightning-sparked wildfires led to the evacuation of several communities, including Juliaetta, where residents reported hearing explosions as they fled.

The situation in Oregon is dire, with the Durkee Fire merging with the Cow Fire to become the largest active blaze in the U.S., covering nearly 1,630 square kilometers and only 20% contained. The National Interagency Fire Center reported over 27,000 fires in the U.S., burning more than 15,000 square kilometers, and in Canada, over 22,800 square kilometers have been consumed by over 3,700 fires.

The summary captures the human toll, the environmental impact, and the economic strain of the wildfires, highlighting the challenges faced by evacuees and the heroic efforts of firefighters.