Authorities Arrest Man in Connection With Large California Wildfire
Alexis Thornton
Last monthRight on time, the wildfire activity is picking up in the western U.S. The largest fire in the country is now blazing through eastern portions of Oregon. Meanwhile, authorities have arrested a man in connection with a fire burning in Northern California. Here is the latest on the wildfire situation on the West Coast as well as an update on a hydrothermal explosion at Yellowstone National Park.
California Fire Explodes Overnight
The Park Fire burning in Northern California exploded in size overnight, blazing through over 71,000 acres as of Thursday afternoon. According to CalFire, the fire was only 3% contained by the middle of the day. The fire in Butte County increased by almost 40,000 acres overnight thanks to high temperatures and strong winds. CalFire has deployed over 200 firefighters to battle the blaze.
The Butte County District Attorney's Office announced on Thursday that it had arrested a suspect in connection with the fire. The 42-year-old man was arrested after fielding reports that he was pushing a vehicle that was on fire into a gully located in upper Tidwell Park. The vehicle was pushed down an embankment as it was burning, spreading the flames and igniting the fire.
The Park Fire is burning in the same California County that saw the Camp Fire in 2018, a blaze that was responsible for over 80 fatalities. County officials said that the suspect was reported leaving the area with the other people fleeing the fire. The suspect is currently in jail without bail pending the Monday arraignment.