California’s largest wildfire so far this year was likely caused by one man’s strange and selfish behavior.
An unnamed 42-year-old from Chico was caught pushing a burning car into a ditch in Upper Bidwell Park just before 3 p.m. Wednesday, the Butte County Prosecutor’s Office announced.
The vehicle then fell 60 feet (18 meters) down a slope, sparking a fire that burned more than 170,000 acres (71,000 hectares) in Northern California overnight and prompted mass evacuations. reports the San Francisco Chronicle.
“The man was seen calmly leaving the area, merging with other civilians in the area and fleeing the rapidly spreading fire,” the Public Prosecution Service said.
Cal Fire arson investigators arrived on scene, secured the crime scene and began searching for clues to identify the unknown man.
An unidentified 42-year-old man is believed to have started a wildfire in California after pushing a burning car into a ravine
The fire in the Butte County park has burned 71,000 acres, making it the largest fire in the state so far this year
Authorities eventually identified the suspect early Thursday morning and took him into custody.
He was then booked into the Butte County Jail, where he is being held without bail, the DA’s office said. The DA’s office said it will release the man’s name later Thursday.
Meanwhile, more than 1,100 firefighters are battling the Park Fire. By sunrise, only 200 firefighters were on the front lines.
The Chico Fire Department said it is deploying all fire engines in the city and that agencies from across Northern California are en route to assist. according to KCRA.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency also announced it is approving federal funding to fight the fire as it continues to destroy homes and other buildings.
More than 1,100 firefighters are now battling the Park Fire – an increase from the 200 firefighters who were on the front lines at dawn
On Thursday evening the fire was only 3 percent under control
The extent of the damage from the Park Fire is still unclear, as Cal Fire officials have not yet begun counting the number of buildings destroyed.
Authorities say it is the largest fire California has seen this year, and the fifth largest in the state in the past three years.
More than 3,500 people have already been displaced as evacuation orders remain in effect for large parts of Butte and Tehama counties. Several other areas in both counties were under evacuation orders Thursday evening.
At that point, the fire was only 3 percent contained, but authorities fear the fire could quickly spread to more populated areas as fire conditions worsen.
More than 3,500 people have already been displaced as evacuation orders remain in effect
National Weather Service meteorologists warn that wind gusts of up to 30 mph (48 km/h) could spread the fire further north.
Combined with low humidity and temperatures in the mid-35s through early Friday night, meteorologists say, “new fires could ignite and ongoing wildfires… could rapidly and dangerously increase in size and intensity.”
Additionally, strong southeast winds in the Sacramento Valley combined with strong southwest winds on mountain ridges could allow the fire to “breathe,” allowing it to spread even faster, the Chronicle reported.
Firefighters have said they are being hampered by the area’s steep terrain and are using aircraft to help fight the fire.
The fire is now raging north into the Ishi Wilderness and Lassen Hills, where experts say no fire has occurred in decades, perhaps a century.
“Once it got into that area, it had a lot of fuel to burn,” said Dan Collins, spokesman for the Butte Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. told the Los Angeles Times.
There, the fire was able to push through the new grass that had sprouted after two straight wet winters, explained Zeke Lunder, a fire expert and geographer from Chico.
But the fire really picked up speed when it reached the taller vegetation, with live oaks and grapevines spewing embers as they burn. These embers can be carried by the wind, starting new fires.
The fire has already destroyed a number of houses and other buildings in its path
The extent of the damage is not yet clear as authorities have not yet counted the number of destroyed buildings.
Lunder said the fire is expected to grow in size over the next few days, noting that it is not unusual for fires of this size to double in size every day.
“It’s a big one,” he said.
“Unless you can get people on the ground to create firebreaks, planes alone can’t put out this fire. In addition, the area where the fire is burning is extremely rugged,” with steep and inaccessible terrain.
Collins even admitted that firefighters are having trouble getting personnel to the edges of the fire. The fire could spread to the city of Cohasset. According to Lunder, that would be the “worst case scenario” and could cause major structural damage.
Collins says more measures are now needed to protect nearby communities and more evacuation orders may be issued.