Latest Chico News

Firefighters gain 40% containment of California's fourth-largest wildfire on record

Aug. 14, 2024 15:18 PM EDT

CHICO, Calif. (AP) — California's largest wildfire so far this year was 40% contained Wednesday after scorching more than 670 square miles (1,735 square kilometers). The massive Park Fire was allegedly started by arson on July 24 in a wilderness park outside the Central Valley city...

Huge California wildfire chews through timber in very hot and dry weather

Aug. 09, 2024 01:06 AM EDT

CHICO, Calif. (AP) — California's largest wildfire so far this year continued to grow Thursday as it chewed through timber in very hot and dry weather. The Park Fire has scorched more than 660 square miles (1,709 square kilometers) since erupting July 24 near the Sacramento Valley...

Firefighters continue battling massive wildfire in California ahead of thunderstorms, lightning

Aug. 03, 2024 20:46 PM EDT

CHICO, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters made progress Saturday against California's largest wildfire of the year ahead of expected thunderstorms that could unleash fire-starting lightning and erratic winds and erode progress made over the past week. Dry, hot conditions posed similar threats across the...

Heat, erratic winds and possible lightning could complicate the battle against California wildfire

Aug. 02, 2024 23:29 PM EDT

CHICO, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters battling California’s largest wildfire of the year are preparing for treacherous conditions entering the weekend, when expected thunderstorms may unleash fire-starting lightning and erratic winds that could erode progress made over the past week. Dry, hot...

Toilet paper and flat tires — the strange ways that Californians ignite wildfires

Jul. 31, 2024 12:17 PM EDT

Of all the insidious threats faced by wildland firefighters — extreme heat, desiccated forests, unpredictable fire behavior and a nearly year-round fire season — what might be the most fearsome? Humans. People do dangerous things, things that start wildfires....

Crews battle wildfires across the US West and fight to hold containment lines

Jul. 28, 2024 21:20 PM EDT

FOREST RANCH, Calif. (AP) — Wildfires across the western United States and Canada put millions of people under air quality alerts on Sunday as thousands of firefighters battled the flames, including the largest wildfire in California this year. The so-called Park Fire had scorched...

Firefighters helped by cooler weather battle blaze that has scorched area larger than Los Angeles

Jul. 28, 2024 10:32 AM EDT

FOREST RANCH, Calif. (AP) — Thousands of firefighters battling a wildfire in Northern California received some help from the weather hours after it exploded in size, scorching an area greater than the size of Los Angeles. The blaze was one of several tearing through the western United States and...

Firefighters helped by cooler weather battle blaze that has scorched area size of Los Angeles

Jul. 27, 2024 22:59 PM EDT

FOREST RANCH, Calif. (AP) — Thousands of firefighters battling a wildfire in Northern California received some help from the weather Saturday hours after it exploded in size, scorching an area greater than the size of Los Angeles. The blaze was one of several tearing through the western United...

California's largest wildfire explodes in size as fires rage across US West

Jul. 26, 2024 23:21 PM EDT

California's largest active fire exploded in size on Friday evening, growing rapidly amid bone-dry fuel and threatening thousands of homes as firefighters scrambled to meet the danger. The Park Fire's intensity and rapid spread led fire officials to make unwelcome comparisons to the...

Lightning and a burning car pushed into a gully are blamed for wildfires scorching the West

Jul. 26, 2024 05:33 AM EDT

A burning car pushed into a gully sparked California’s largest wildfire of the year, authorities said Thursday as they announced the arrest of a suspect. Meanwhile other blazes scorched the Pacific Northwest. Flames from the fire the man is accused of starting exploded into what is...