More crews are racing to help battle what is now California’s largest wildfire. It exploded yesterday near Chico after sparking Wednesday afternoon and now tops 164-thousand acres. The Park Fire has forced four-thousand people to evacuate in Butte and Tehama counties. Some homes have already burned down but there’s no exact count yet. While downtown Chico isn’t threatened, the town of Paradise is after nearly being wiped out by a wildfire in 2018. Crews are also focused on protecting the small community of Cohasset.
Meanwhile, the man accused of starting California’s most massive fire this year is due in court Monday. Ronnie Stout was arrested yesterday and remains behind bars without bail. The Butte County district attorney says he pushed a car on fire down a gully, which tumbled 60-feet and burned completely. Those flames spread and sparked the destructive Park Fire. The 48-year-old suspect has two prior felony convictions and was sentenced to 20 years in 2002. He could get life if convicted this time under the “three strikes and you’re out” law.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is requesting federal assistance to fight the Park Fire burning near Chico. Newsom wants to secure funding and resources through a Fire Management Assistance Grant from FEMA.
