World News
Thousands are battling western bushfires, while smoke puts millions of people under air quality alerts
FOREST RANCH, Calif. — Wildfires across the western United States and Canada put millions of people under air quality warnings Sunday, while thousands of firefighters fought the flamesincluding California’s largest wildfire this year.
The so-called Park Fire had scorched more than 470 square miles (1,430 square kilometers) of land in inland Northern California as of Sunday morning, darkening the skies with smoke and haze and contributing to poor air quality across much of the northwestern US. and Western Canada.
Although the sprawling fire was only 12% contained as of Sunday, cooler temperatures and higher humidity could help crews battle the blaze, which has drawn comparisons to 2018. Campfire that tore through the nearby community of Paradise, killing 85 people and setting fire to 11,000 homes. Paradise and several other Butte County communities were under evacuation warnings Sunday.
On the Park Fire, first responders’ initial effort was to save lives and property, but that has shifted to fighting the blaze head-on, Jay Tracy, a spokesman for Park Fire headquarters, told The Associated Press by phone on Sunday. He said reinforcements would provide much-needed rest to local firefighters, some of whom have been working non-stop since the fire broke out on Wednesday.
“This fire surprises many people with its explosive growth,” he said. “It’s kind of unprecedented.”
Although the area around the Park Fire is expected to experience cooler-than-average temperatures by mid-week, that doesn’t mean “the existing fires will go away,” said Marc Chenard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland.
The park fire, which started Wednesday when authorities say a man pushed a burning car into a gully in Chico and then fled, has destroyed at least 134 buildings, fire officials said. About 3,400 firefighters, assisted by numerous helicopters and air tankers, are battling the blaze.
A Chico man accused of setting the fire was arrested Thursday and is scheduled to appear in court Monday.
The Park Fire was one of more than 100 fires burning across the U.S. on Sunday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Some were fueled by the weather climate change is increasing the frequency of lightning strikes as the western US endures sweltering heat and bone-dry conditions.
Despite improved firefighting in Northern California, conditions remained ripe for more fires, with the National Weather Service warning Sunday of “red flag” conditions in much of Utah, Colorado and Wyoming, in addition to parts of California.
In Southern California, a fire in the Sequoia National Forest swept through the community of Havilah after burning more than 47 square miles in less than three days. The town of about 250 residents had been issued an evacuation order.
Fires were also burning in eastern Oregon and eastern Idaho, where officials were assessing damage from a group of fires dubbed the Gwen Fire that was estimated to cover 66 square miles (106 square kilometers) as of Sunday.
Rodriguez reported from San Francisco. The following AP reporters from around the U.S. contributed: David Sharp, Becky Bohrer, John Antczak, Rio Yamat, David Sharp, Holly Ramer, Sarah Brumfield, Claire Rush, Terry Chea, Scott Sonner, Martha Bellisle and Amy Hanson.
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