Fast-growing Park Fire is already California’s largest wildfire of 2024, state says
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Park Fire blazes near Chico
Here’s our latest coverage as the wildfire blazes through Northern California.
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The fast-growing Park Fire near Chico has already topped the list of largest California wildfires to date in 2024, state officials reported.
As of Monday, firefighters had contained 12% of the more than 370,000-acre blaze burning across Butte, Tehama, Shasta and Plumas counties after sparks ignited Wednesday at Upper Bidwell Park on the outskirts of Chico, The Sacramento Bee reported.
More than 4,800 personnel were battling the flames as of Monday afternoon.
Is Park Fire the biggest wildfire in California of 2024?
As of Monday, the Park Fire was the state’s largest wildfire of 2024, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
It has far surpassed the Lake Fire, which has scorched 38,664 acres in Santa Barbara County since it began July 5. That fire was 92% contained as of Monday, according to Cal Fire.
The Lightning Complex fires in Tulare County have burned 85,583 acres since July 13 and were 33% contained as of Monday, Cal Fire said.
The Park Fire also has outstripped fires in Colusa, Los Angeles, Siskiyou and other counties earlier this year.
How does wildfire near Chico compare to recent blazes?
As of Monday, the Park Fire was the sixth largest fire in California history, The Sacramento Bee reported.
In size, it has surpassed the LNU Lightning Complex Fire, burned 363,220 acres in Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Yolo, Lake and Colusa counties.
That blaze, which was caused by lightning and arson in August 2020, resulted in six deaths and destroyed 1,491 structures, according to Cal Fire.
The biggest wildfire in state history remains the August Complex Fire, which burned 1.032 million acres in Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity, Tehama, Glenn, Lake and Colusa counties.
That wildfire, which started in August 2020, led to one death and destroyed 935 structures.
This story was originally published July 25, 2024 at 11:06 AM with the headline "Fast-growing Park Fire is already California’s largest wildfire of 2024, state says."
