Park Fire in Northern California explodes to164,000 acres, forces evacuations

VIDEOS: Butte County has declared an emergency in response to the raging Park Fire near Chico. It's prompted a slew of evacuations that have extended into Tehama County. The emergency declaration will allow the county to request more resources from the state. As of early Friday morning, Cal Fire reported that the fire had burned more than 164,000 acres — some 256 square miles. Containment was at first reported to be 3%, but Cal Fire reduced it to 0% on Friday. Cal Fire said the Park Fire was the result of suspected arson and ignited around 3 p.m. Wednesday in the Upper Bidwell Park area, about four miles northeast of Chico's city center. Cal Fire noted on Friday that 134 structures have been destroyed, while 4,200 remain threatened.
KOVR-TV CBS 13 Stockton

Durkee Fire in Oregon reaches 288,690 acres, 20 percent containment amid near-critical weather conditions

According to a recent news release, near-critical fire weather conditions persist on the Durkee Fire. Containment reached 20 percent containment from Brogan to Dennis on Highway 26 on Thursday. Positive fire behavior effects from precipitation earlier in the week are no longer present in the forecast. Amidst unprecedented fire weather challenges, NW Team 6 is in unified command with the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM). Structural threat is diminishing and OSFM has been working with local partners to ensure they are prepared to reengage. The Durkee Fire is currently the largest in the nation. Sandwiched between the Cow Valley Fire footprint to the southwest and the Thompson Fire to the northeast, it is considered a megafire. Megafires are large wildfires that grow to over 100,000 acres. Its perimeter is 169 miles, comparable to driving between the Oregon towns of Vale and Umatilla.
KBOI-TV CBS 2 Boise

Montana researcher studies the physiology of wildland firefighters

VIDEO: We've already seen quite a few wildfires pop up this season in Western Montana. For more insight into what working on the front lines requires from firefighters' bodies, MTN connected with Brent Ruby, a physiologist who has spent 25 years researching health, performance, and safety — for mainly hot-shot crews — through Montana’s Center for Work Physiology and Exercise Metabolism. "Montana is just really well known for fire and it's a part of our landscape. It's a part of our fabric," Ruby expressed. When wildfire season is in full swing around the West, that means all types of fire crews are too. “My very first study with fire crews, the focus was to look at what the total energy demands of the job might be,” shared Ruby. To do so, Ruby used a special method that gave real-time data.
KPAX-TV CBS 8 Missoula

VIDEO: Northern California’s Park Fire expands to 45,550 acres in less than 24 hours

A rapidly growing wildfire in Northern California forced evacuations after spreading overnight at an alarming rate. Evacuations were ordered in California’s Butte and Tehama counties as crews battled a fire reported near Chico just before 3 p.m. Wednesday. The Park Fire quickly spread to more than 45,000 acres is just hours and was only 3% contained early Thursday, according to CAL FIRE. The cause was under investigation. The fire east of Chico started just before 3 p.m. Wednesday. The location is about 15 miles west of the town of Paradise, which was devastated by the 2018 Camp Fire. More than 80 people died and more than 18,000 structures were damaged or destroyed in the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history. The Park Fire is one of more than two dozen wildfires burning in California.
KNBC-TV NBC 4 Los Angeles

Lightning strikes, strong winds rattle Eastern Oregon as Durkee Fire grows, becoming largest in nation

PHOTO: The Durkee Fire, which started last week in Baker County, grew to nearly 270,000 acres by Thursday morning, and its perimeter was still listed as 0% contained. Storms Wednesday night brought nearly 3,000 lightning strikes across the region, according to the National Weather Service. But the Baker County Sheriff’s Office said the storms also brought much-needed rain. The sheriff called the rainfall a “godsend.” Some evacuation levels near the town of Huntington were actually lowered overnight from Level 3 — Go Now! — to Level 1 — Be Ready, meaning those who left their homes could return. Amid rapidly forming storms Wednesday afternoon, the blaze has crossed Interstate 84 near Huntington, home to about 500 people. It also merged with the Cow Valley Fire, another large blaze that had been burning nearby, Gov. Tina Kotek said.
OPB

Arizona has had 1,200 wildfires since January

Arizona has experienced more than 1,200 wildfires since January. Roughly 173,000 acres have burned so far, and 10 wildfires are currently active around the state. Officials say it’s the worst fire activity that Arizona has seen in recent years. Tiffany Davila is with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. She says high fire activity was predicted for South/Central Arizona but some fires — like the Freeman, Romero and Circle — have had uncommon behavior. "You know I can’t speak for the other agencies, but what we’re seeing in certain areas and again Pinal County, the southern part of the state, is that fire activity is not moderating, it’s not decreasing overnight because we’re still seeing warmer temperatures and low relative humidity levels," Davila said.
KJZZ-FM 91.5 Phoenix

Nevada wildland firefighting crew provides career avenues for veterans

VIDEO: From the front lines to the fire line. A local wildland firefighting crew is provides a transition for veterans into civilian service. They play a crucial role in protecting public lands during severe wildfire seasons. The Vegas Valley Veterans Hand Crew has a common trait: military service. The 20-person crew was established in 2012 and is one of the first three BLM veteran crews to be commissioned. “The primary mission that the crew has is to transition veterans from the military service into civilian service and provide them a glide path into federal service, employment opportunities and allow them to seek permanent employment if they choose that route,” JP Blair, the superintendent of the Vegas Valley Hand Crew said. Blair says the role has changed his life after serving in the military.
KVVU-TV FOX 5 Henderson

Bench Lake Fire in Idaho nearly half contained as thunderstorms move into the area

The Bench Lake Fire is 45% contained as Wednesday thunderstorms brought rain, lightning, and wind gusts up to 40 mph. According to a news release from the U.S. Forest Service, 403 personnel are still working to contain the fire with 15 fire engines and nine helicopters. “Friday will bring a 20% chance of thunderstorms with erratic winds and gusts up to 35 mph,” states the release. “Temperatures are expected to return to near normal over the weekend, and higher humidity will assist in slowing fire activity.” Even with the turbulent weather on Wednesday, crews were still able to make progress toward securing the fire perimeter. Firefighters are continuing to mitigate hazard trees and ensure any hotspots are inside containment lines.
East Idaho News