California is currently housing triple-digit temperatures as a dangerous heat wave continues to burn across the state. It is projected to last till next week.
The most significant blaze Wednesday was the Thompson fire burning in the city of Oroville in Butte County, where several structures were destroyed and thousands evacuated as flames pushed closer to communities.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for the Thompson fire on Wednesday, noting that it was a threat to “structures, homes, critical infrastructure, and health and congregate care facilities.”
“We are using every available tool to tackle this fire and will continue to work closely with our local and federal partners to support impacted communities,” Newsom said in a statement.
The Thompson fire tripled in size overnight from 1,000 acres to more than 3,500 acres Wednesday afternoon and was at 7% containment by Wednesday evening, according to officials with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The firefighters were on scene and more than 1,400 personnel were working on the blaze.
Eight firefighters have been injured. Four sustained minor heat-related injuries Tuesday, and one suffered an unspecified injury on the fireline Wednesday, according to Rick Carhart, a public information officer with Cal Fire’s Butte County unit.
Officials say that, at one point, about 12,000 homes, businesses and other buildings were threatened by the fire, and 28,000 people were told to leave their homes.
At least four homes have been destroyed.
“Incidentally, there are a number of people in the area that moved [to Kelly Ridge] after getting burned out at the Camp fire,” Carhart said, referring to the 2018 fire that killed 85 people and destroyed more than 18,000 buildings, the deadliest wildfire on record in California.
With California’s heat wave, temperatures were forecast to reach up to 113 degrees Thursday and top out on Saturday at 114 in Oroville. Winds gusts Wednesday were around 15 to 20 miles per hour near the fire.
