Butte County Wildfire Prompts Evacuations; Bay Area Firefighters Assist
A rapidly spreading wildfire in Northern California has prompted the evacuation of numerous residents and has already encroached upon at least one neighborhood, resulting in the destruction of numerous structures. The Thompson Fire in Butte County ignited near Oroville shortly before 11 a.m. on Tuesday and had expanded to over 3,000 acres by Wednesday morning, with no containment, as reported by Cal Fire.
As of Wednesday morning, Cal Fire indicated that at least four structures had been decimated, while 12,000 others remained imperiled by the flames. Four firefighters sustained minor injuries, with no additional injuries reported in the conflagration by Wednesday.
Approximately 28,000 individuals were subject to evacuation mandates, with firefighting efforts concentrated on safeguarding residences and other edifices, as per officials. The city of Oroville announced a state of emergency on Tuesday evening.
Numerous fire departments from the Bay Area were either actively engaged on the fire lines or en route to provide assistance. The San Francisco Fire Department disclosed that 18 of its firefighters had departed for Butte County, with teams from San Jose, Milpitas, and San Mateo also present in the fire-affected region.
Late on Tuesday, the governor’s office revealed the approval of federal funding to aid firefighting endeavors. Governor Gavin Newsom activated the State Operations Center this week to orchestrate California’s response, deploy mutual aid, and fortify communities in addressing wildfire threats and extreme heat conditions.
Newsom officially declared a state of emergency on Wednesday morning, emphasizing, “We are utilizing all available resources to combat this fire and will continue to collaborate closely with local and federal partners to assist impacted communities. As we enter one of the most challenging phases of wildfire season, the state is more equipped than ever to shield vulnerable communities with innovative tools, technology, and resources.”
Various local fire departments are dispatching strike teams to reinforce the defense against the Butte County fire. Evacuation centers have been established at the Nazarene Church in Oroville and the Butte County Fairgrounds in Gridley. Further details regarding the fire and evacuation zones can be accessed on Cal Fire’s official incident web page.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
