AssetID: 53995620
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Park Wildfire Devastates Northern California
Caption: These images and video footage show the battle against the Park Fire, one of the largest in California’s history - which had burnt through 383,000 acres as of Tuesday. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the blaze has reached 383,619 acres and is currently 14% contained. The fire's expanse, which covers approximately 600 square miles, is nearly half the size of Rhode Island, more than 12 times larger than San Francisco, and bigger than Los Angeles. A burning car pushed into a gully in Northern California less than a week ago is believed to have ignited the blaze - which has grown from 25 to 30 July. The fire has impacted four counties: Butte, Plumas, Shasta, and Tehama, with Tehama experiencing the most significant damage. Officials report that 165 structures have been destroyed, with more than 4,200 buildings still under threat. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities have been reported among civilians or firefighters. Imagery from the NOAA’s GOES satellites, put together as a video, has also captured the spread of the fire, showing how it tore into the northern California landscape. CalFire described the initial rapid expansion of the fire, which covered tens and then hundreds of thousands of acres. Cooler temperatures on Sunday helped to mitigate some of the extreme fire behavior, allowing responders to actively combat the blaze outside National Forest lands. However, the reduction in smoke led to a warmer climate around the fire, increasing its activity. By Monday night, CalFire noted that the fire continued to burn actively at multiple locations around its perimeter. In the northern section, the fire's activity was tempered by smoke, while clearer skies in the southern areas allowed fire fuels to become more receptive to flames, extending the burn period. The fire has produced fire tornadoes and reached Lassen Volcanic National Park, which is now closed. On Saturday, the park reported on Facebook that the fire was nearing its western edge, three years after the Dixie Fire devastated much of the eastern part. Park staff are working to save historic artifacts stored in the 1927 Loomis Museum. Ronnie Dean Stout II, 42, has been accused of starting the Park Fire. He made his first court appearance on Monday, facing charges of reckless arson with several enhancements, according to CBS Sacramento. Stout did not enter a plea, and no bail was set.
Keywords: fire,park fire,california,wildfire,feature,photo,video
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