Multiple federal agencies issued closure orders as the Park Fire, a wildfire that has rapidly spread across northern California, nears public lands. According to a federal wildfire database, the fire has consumed more than 368,000 acres of land in four counties since it started on July 25.
In a statement, Gov. Gavin Newsom called the Park Fire "one of the biggest fires in California history" as he issued a state of emergency for Plumas, Butte, and Tehama counties. "Californians must heed warning from local authorities and take steps to stay safe," he said.
The federal lands affected by the Park Fire
In a series of statements, officials with the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service all issued closure orders until fire officials extinguished the Park Fire. However, firefighters and other government officials are exempt from the orders.
National Park Service
Rose Worley, the superintendent of Lassen Volcanic National Park, explained that while the wildfire has not yet reached Lassen, she's taking precautions after the Dixie Fire consumed much of the eastern portion of the park three years ago.
"There's such a love for Lassen, and if you read some social media posts, everybody's just torn up," Worley said. "It's a special park with unique features found nowhere else in the world, and for so many people, this is their favorite national park. We'll work to reopen as soon as possible and rebuild as needed."
According to Saturday's announcement, park rangers evacuated visitors from all campgrounds and canceled reservations. They also evacuated all park employees from park housing and moved them to hotels. As of Monday, fire officials say they believe the wildfire has the potential to reach recreational areas within Lassen at Manzanita Lake and Mineral Headquarters.
In 2021, the Dixie Fire spread across the same counties as the Park Fire for nearly four months. In all, it burned 963,309 acres, killed one firefighter and caused an estimated $1.15 billion in damages, including 1,329 destroyed structures.
Bureau of Land Management
Jennifer Mata, the Redding Field Manager for the Bureau of Land Management, issued a temporary emergency fire closure order for the Sacramento River Bend Area of Critical Environmental Concern. In the notice, she said the 17,000-acre area located in Tehama County will remain closed until "there is no longer a threat to public safety."
U.S. Forest Service
Deb Bumpus, the forest supervisor for the Lassen National Forest, issued a letter explaining why a closure was necessary. "The Park Fire has exhibited extreme fire behavior, has grown rapidly to over 300,000 acres, and is experiencing very high temperatures and red flag warnings for the area," she wrote. She added: "The area closure will keep the public out of the fire's potential pathway and fire suppression tactics perimeter, thereby reducing the risk of public injury or death."
Update on the Park Fire
Although authorities know how the wildfire started, they don't have a timeline for when it'll be extinguished. Authorities say the fire started on July 25 after a Chico man pushed a burning car into a gully. The fire spread due to dry conditions.
On Monday, fire officials reported that firefighters had contained about 12% of the fire. However, the fire has also spread across 368,256 acres in four counties. The bulk of the land — some 315,397 acres — is in Tehama County, which is surrounded by federal lands.
