Forest ablaze: a forest burns from a forest fire which raged in 2023 in the US. Credit: Waleeds / Shutterstock
California State Fire Department struggles to contain a forest fire which is still expanding and already the largest that has occurred this year.
The fire was reported to have started on July 24, allegedly started intentionally by a man who deliberately rolled a burning car down into a ravine. The individual remains unnamed; however, the 42-year-old has been arrested for his connection to the forest fire’s ignition near Alligator Hole, in Butte County, California.
State of emergency
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency as the wildfire continues to grow at a rate of 20 square kilometres per hour due to high winds and an abundance of dry, flammable brush. The fire has already burned over 1400 square kilometres as of July 28. Around 600 square kilometres of that figure were burned on July 27 alone and are expected to torch hundreds more.
The fire continues to rage north-east of Chico, California, in the northern central plains of the American state. The state’s fire department, Cal Fire, has reported that despite over 3,600 firefighters’ efforts, the blaze remains only 10 per cent contained.
Fire Captain Robert Foxworthy has stated that difficult terrain and a lack of roads to the affected areas have made using heavy equipment to fight the fire difficult, and knowing where to send teams is complicated by strong winds blowing embers farther and farther out, sparking smaller ‘spot fires’.
US’s largest of the year so far
The blaze is already the largest of the year to date in the US and the 7th largest in California’s history, consuming an area larger than all of New York City.
Officials said that their fight against the blaze has been helped by a combination of lower temperatures and higher humidity over the weekend, and in one area, a ‘firenado’ tore through an area, charring the ground and consuming low brush that the fire needs to burn to keep moving.
At least 16 helicopters have been mobilised to help contain the fire, and several large air tankers have been dumping water and fire retardants on the blaze when conditions permit.
“This is already one of the biggest fires in California history, and we’re continuing to see dangerous conditions. Our firefighters and emergency responders are working day and night to protect our communities,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom, “Californians must heed the warning from local authorities and take steps to stay safe.”
Already, over 400 people have been evacuated from the town of Cohasset, which lies in the pathway where the blaze is projected to go. So far, it is estimated that over 134 buildings have burned down, and another 4,200 are under imminent threat.
