Northern California Officials Battle Devastating Park Fire As Destruction And Evacuations Continue

In the United States, officials in northern California continued battling the largest wildfire of the year which has left more than 130 structures destroyed and thousands of people evacuated. The Park Fire, which started Wednesday afternoon near Chico, north of California’s capital city Sacramento, had rapidly expanded to engulf over 660 square kilometre leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The fire has already destroyed 134 structures and threatens 4,200 more.

Authorities identified the cause of the fire as arson and arrested a 42-year-old resident on suspicion of intentionally starting it. The fire is believed to have started when a burning car was pushed into a gully, rolling nearly 20 meters down an embankment. The motive remains unclear.

The rapid spread of the Park Fire has led to widespread evacuations. By early Thursday, the California Governor confirmed that 3,500 people had already been displaced from their homes.