The Park Fire was listed at 45,550 acres and 3% contained on Thursday morning after growing rapidly overnight amid hot, windy conditions.
The communities of Cohasset and Forest Ranch, northeast of Chico, are under evacuation orders. Both are at and have been top of mind for officials for years, according to North State Public Radio.
Evacuation maps for and counties can be found here.
No structures have been damaged and the cause is under investigation, according to CALFIRE.
CALFIRE and the Chico Fire Department are in joint command of fire-fighting operations. The Butte County Sheriff鈥檚 Office is issuing evacuations.
Rick Carhart, public information officer for CALFIRE and the Butte County Fire Department told NSPR on Wednesday that conditions have been windy with a significant amount of steady wind coming from the south.
鈥淎ny kind of a wind on fire, that's one of the biggest drivers of the movement and the growth and the spread of a wildland fire is when the wind gets on it,鈥� Carhart said.
Record-breaking hot weather this month has caused dangerously dry conditions. Carhart said this can cause quick changes in the fire鈥檚 direction.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just so dry that pretty much everything that a spark touches is catching on fire right now,鈥� Carhart said.
Carhart stressed that residents should stay aware of the fire and monitor the situation. He said to keep an eye on information from the and his agency.
鈥淚f your zone is under an evacuation order, we urge everybody to get out as quickly as possible and not try to stick around,鈥� Carhart said.
An evacuation centers are located at:
- Neighborhood Church 2801 Notre Dame Blvd, Chico.
- A shelter for small animals is located at 2279 Del Oro, Oroville.
- Large animals can be sheltered at Camelot Equestrian Park 1985 Clark Road, Oroville.
