Thousands Evacuate Northern California Wildfires, More Heat Expected: NPR

OROVILLE, Calif. — Firefighters lined roads to keep flames from reaching homes as helicopters dropped water on a growing wildfire in Northern California Wednesday that has forced at least 26,000 people to evacuate as the state swelters under extreme heat.

The Thompson Fire broke out before noon Tuesday about 70 miles (110 kilometers) north of Sacramento, in and around the Butte County town of Oroville. It emitted a huge plume of smoke that could be seen from space as it spread over 5 square miles (14 square kilometers). There was no way to contain it.

But Oroville Mayor David Pittman said Wednesday afternoon there had been a “significant decline in fire activity” and he hoped some residents could soon be allowed to return home. The fire’s progress was halted along the southern edge and firefighters working in steep terrain were trying to build containment lines on the north side.

“On the north side, they have real challenges in terms of topography,” Pittman said.

Another fire broke out Wednesday afternoon about 5 miles south of Oroville, prompting additional evacuations near the town of Palermo. That fire, dubbed the Grubbs Fire, also has not been contained.

More than a dozen other fires, mostly small, were active across the state, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). One blaze broke out Wednesday afternoon and briefly prompted evacuations in the densely populated Simi Valley, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) northwest of downtown Los Angeles.

The state’s largest fire, the Basin Fire, has covered nearly 22 square miles of the Sierra National Forest in eastern Fresno County and is 26 percent contained.

In Oroville, a state of emergency was declared Tuesday night and evacuation centers were set up. The evacuation zone expanded Wednesday to the foothills and rural areas beyond the city of about 20,000 people. Ahead of the Fourth of July, officials also warned that fireworks were banned in many places, including most of Butte County.

There was no immediate official report on property losses. An Associated Press photographer saw the fire ripping through three adjacent suburban-style homes in Oroville.

The fire ignited blades of grass overhanging the concrete edges of Lake Oroville as gusts of wind lifted American flags lining a bend of the state’s second-largest reservoir and the nation’s tallest dam.

Residents stood on hillsides at night, watching the orange glow as planes dropped water to stop the fire from spreading. A crew of more than a dozen firefighters saved one home as goats and other farm animals ran for cover.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Severe fire warnings, including strong northerly winds and low humidity, were in effect at the time of the fire.

“The conditions we’re seeing in our county this summer are very different than what we’ve seen the last two summers,” said Garrett Sjolund, Butte County Cal Fire unit chief. “The fuels are very dense, the brush is dry. And as you can see, any wind can put out a fire very quickly.”

These conditions have led Pacific Gas & Electric to implement targeted public safety power shutoffs in parts of some Northern California counties to prevent fires from being started by downed or damaged power lines.

Hot conditions, with a risk of triple-digit temperatures, are expected to continue into next week.

Authorities have warned that any illegal use of fireworks during the July 4 holiday will result in severe legal consequences.

“Don’t be an idiot, don’t start a fire and don’t create more problems for us,” Butte County Sheriff Kory L. Honea said. “No one in the community wants that. And we certainly don’t want that.”

The governor’s office announced Tuesday night that federal funding has been approved to help fight the wildfires. Gov. Gavin Newsom activated the State Operations Center this week to coordinate California’s response, send mutual aid and support communities as they respond to the threats of wildfires and excessive heat.

In Southern California, Joshua Tree National Park officials on Wednesday closed Covington Flats, an area that is home to most of the park’s significant Joshua tree populations, due to extreme fire risk after spring rains brought abundant grass that has now dried out. A June 2023 fire burned 1.6 square miles of Joshua trees and desert tortoise habitat.