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Fast-Moving Fire in Northern California Forces Evacuations Camp Fire in Northern California Forces Evacuations and Damages Buildings
(about 5 hours later)
A sudden, fast-moving fire in Northern California forced a scramble of evacuations and road closings, burning at least 18,000 acres since early Thursday near Chico, about 100 miles north of Sacramento. A fast-moving fire exploded in Northern California on Thursday, forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes, damaging hundreds of structures and injuring firefighters and civilians as the blaze tore through more than 20,000 acres and barreled toward Chico, Calif., about 100 miles north of Sacramento.
By midafternoon, the acting governor, Gavin Newsom, had declared a state of emergency, and hundreds of firefighters were on the scene or en route, said a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Lynne Tolmachoff. By midafternoon, the acting governor, Gavin Newsom, had declared a state of emergency, and hundreds of firefighters were on the scene or en route, said a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Lynne Tolmachoff. Mr. Newsom later sent a letter to President Trump asking for federal assistance to aid Butte County and other areas across the state that were frantically fighting infernos.
The blaze, named Camp Fire, burned through Paradise, a town of about 26,000, where a hospital was evacuated and traffic gridlock forced some people to flee vehicles on foot, according to a report on Wildfire Today, a website that covers fire news across the country. The blaze, named the Camp Fire, burned through Paradise, a town of about 26,000, where a hospital was evacuated and traffic gridlock forced some people to flee vehicles on foot, according to a report on Wildfire Today, a website that covers fire news across the country.
Ms. Tolmachoff said that “numerous structures” in Butte County had burned and that some civilians and firefighters had been injured, but that there were no confirmed fatalities. “It’s very devastating to the town,” Chief Eric Reinbold of the Paradise Police Department said at a news conference.
By late Thursday, fire officials said perhaps as many as 1,000 structures had been damaged; as the fire roared just south of Chico, 15,000 structures were threatened. Jonathan Cox, a division chief with Cal Fire, said at least two firefighters had been injured, as had “numerous” civilians. In the meantime, the fire continued to rage totally uncontained. It was not clear if there had been any fatalities.
More than 23,000 people across the county of 230,000 residents were told to evacuate through an automated notification system at the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, but a spokeswoman for the sheriff said there were no firm numbers of how many had done so.More than 23,000 people across the county of 230,000 residents were told to evacuate through an automated notification system at the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, but a spokeswoman for the sheriff said there were no firm numbers of how many had done so.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, better known as CalFire, said on its website that the fire began early Thursday near the town of Pulga, which is on the western edge of the Plumas National Forest. Cal Fire, said on its website that the fire began early Thursday near the town of Pulga, which is on the western edge of the Plumas National Forest.
“The blaze is being driven by fairly strong winds,” Rick Carhart, a CalFire spokesman, told The Associated Press. “It’s really dry and we have low humidity — and unfortunately those are great conditions for a fire to spread.” “This was a rapidly moving fire,” Kory Honea, the sheriff of Butte County, said in a news conference. “Even though it was early morning, it seemed like it was midnight, it was so dark up there.”
Shelters opened in Chico, Oroville and Gridley with capacity to take nearly 2,500 people.Shelters opened in Chico, Oroville and Gridley with capacity to take nearly 2,500 people.
A red flag warning was issued by the state for a wide area of the county, as strong winds, gusting to 35 miles per hour, and low relative humidity were elevating fire conditions, but Ms. Tolmachoff said winds were expected to ease by Friday morning.A red flag warning was issued by the state for a wide area of the county, as strong winds, gusting to 35 miles per hour, and low relative humidity were elevating fire conditions, but Ms. Tolmachoff said winds were expected to ease by Friday morning.
She said the fire was moving toward the southern part of Chico, the county’s largest city, with about 93,000 people, but that a less volatile mix of fuels in the fire’s path was expected to slow its advance.She said the fire was moving toward the southern part of Chico, the county’s largest city, with about 93,000 people, but that a less volatile mix of fuels in the fire’s path was expected to slow its advance.
The 100-bed hospital in Paradise, Adventist Health Feather River, was closed, with all patients evacuated to hospitals in Chico and Oroville, the hospital said on its website.The 100-bed hospital in Paradise, Adventist Health Feather River, was closed, with all patients evacuated to hospitals in Chico and Oroville, the hospital said on its website.
Strike teams of firefighters from as far away as Oakland and Sacramento were sent to help fight the fire, and Butte College, in Oroville, closed so it could be used as a staging area for fire personnel.Strike teams of firefighters from as far away as Oakland and Sacramento were sent to help fight the fire, and Butte College, in Oroville, closed so it could be used as a staging area for fire personnel.