BUTTE COUNTY, CA – Tens of thousands of people have fled for their lives as a rapidly-spreading, wind-whipped wildfire continues to sweep across Butte County, scorching 90,000 acres, killing nine people, destroying more than 6,700 structures, and forcing the closure of highways in Northern California.
The blaze, called the Camp Fire, broke out around 6:30 a.m. Thursday off Camp Creek and Pulga roads near Highway 70 in the Feather River Canyon, near the town of Paradise and not far from the city of Chico, according to Cal Fire. By Thursday evening, the fire had exploded to 20,000 acres and was 0 percent contained.
Overnight, the flames grew out-of-control to 70,000 acres. The fire spread to 90,000 acres and was considered just 5 percent contained as of Friday evening.
At least nine people have been killed in the fire, according to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s officials earlier reported that five people were found dead in vehicles that were overcome by flames in the area of Edgewood Lane in Paradise.
“Due to the burn injuries, identification could not be immediately made,” officials said.
Officials later confirmed that an additional four people were found dead.
Authorities said autopsies will be conducted to determine the circumstances of their deaths and begin the identification process. The Butte County Sheriff’s Office has formed an interagency team to investigate and identify additional fatalities.
Previous: Camp Fire Rages In Butte County, Prompts Evacuations
Acting Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an emergency proclamation for Butte County due to the blaze, which has destroyed 6,453 homes and another 260 commercial structures. An additional 15,000 structures remain threatened. At least 52,000 people have been evacuated.
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Thousands of firefighters from across the region helped attack the flames from the ground and by air. A total of 3,223 firefighters battled the blaze Friday, including 440 engines, 67 hand crews, 67 dozers, 23 helicopters and 18 water tenders, according to Cal Fire. Three firefighters have suffered injuries.
Authorities issued evacuation orders and warnings for Paradise, Magalia, Concow, Butte Creek Canyon, Butte Valley, Forest Ranch and Chico. (See the full list of evacuation orders and warnings below. Click here for a map of the evacuation zones.)
Cal Fire Deputy Chief Scott McClean said the fire had grown with so much intensity that it had burned from Magalia on the northern end through the south end of town. Adventist Health Feather River Medical Center and several structures around it caught on fire.
Adventist Health Feather River Medical Center and the Adventist Health Feather River clinics were closed early Thursday and patients were transported to Oroville Hospital in Oroville and Enloe Medical Center in Chico, according to the medical center.
All Butte County public schools will be closed through Friday, Nov. 23, officials said.
“It’s gone,” McClean said Thursday, referring to Paradise. “You’ve got to keep this in mind, this fire was pushed by winds. This is as horrific as it can be.”
He explained how the fire burned too fast, too hot. Much of that fire intensity was also from the terrain.
The Feather River Canyon is steep in many places. It’s filled with manzanita and madrone, which ignites with a fury. Fire burns faster up hill – right into the town of Paradise.
The California Office of Emergency Services secured a fire management assistance grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to essentially throw all possible resources at the Camp Fire.
Wind and smoke were the biggest hindrances in battling the blaze.
“We can’t use air tankers because the winds are too high and the smoke is too thick, but hopefully when this wind dies down, we’ll be able to,” Cal OES spokesman Kelly Huston said Thursday.
Cal Fire officials said that the strong winds were expected to decrease a bit on Friday, but there’s no chance of “significant rainfall” in sight.
Smoke from the fire spread across Northern California, prompting the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to issue an air quality advisory for the San Francisco Bay Area through Friday. The district, which is responsible for protecting air quality in the nine-county Bay Area, also issued a Winter Spare the Air Alert for the region.
Fire officials expect the blaze to be fully contained by Nov. 30. The cause of the fire remained under investigation.
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Evacuation Orders and Warnings
The Butte County Sheriff’s Office has issued the following evacuation orders and warnings:
The Chico Police Department has issued the following evacuation orders and warnings:
Click here for a map of the evacuation zones.
Shelters
Evacuation shelters have been opened at the following locations:
Small animals can be taken to Old Oroville Hospital, located at 2279 Del Oro Road, Suite E, in Oroville, or to the Chico Municipal Airport at 150 Airpark Blvd. in Chico. Large animals can be taken to the Butte County Fairgrounds.
Closures
Butte County offices and facilities in located in areas under evacuation order areas were closed Friday to the public, county officials said. The Neal Road Recycling and Waste Facility was closed. County offices outside evacuation areas remained open.
All Butte County public schools will be closed through Friday, Nov. 23, officials said.
Traffic
Multiple roads have been closed, including sections of Highway 70, Highway 99, Highway 191, Pentz Road and Skyway, according to Cal Fire.
As of Friday morning, Highway 70 was closed westbound from Garden Drive to the Highway 89 junction, and eastbound from the Highway 89 junction to the Highway 149 junction, according to Caltrans. Northbound and southbound Highway 99 was closed from Shippee Road to Southgate Avenue. Highway 191 was closed at the Highway 70 junction.
As of Friday evening, Highway 99 reopened, according to the California Highway Patrol. While the highway was open, side streets and off-ramps east of Highway 99 remained closed. There was no access to the city of Paradise.
Volunteering
An emergency volunteer center was opened at Caring Choices, located at 1398 Ridgewood Drive in Chico. People interested in volunteering can go to the center or call 530-899-3873.
Hope Center in Oroville was accepting donations for fire evacuees. The center, located at at 1950 Kitrick Ave., Suite A, requested warm clothes, shoes, socks and coats.
The Salvation Army planned to deploy multiple teams to provide meals at additional sites in Butte County for people affected by the Camp Fire. Personnel from Auburn, Roseville, Santa Rosa and Yuba City were en route to assist Butte College, Butte County Fairgrounds, Chico Elks Lodge and Glenn County Fairgrounds.
The Salvation Army served breakfast Friday morning at the Oroville Oroville Church of the Nazarene and the Neighborhood Church of Chico. On Thursday, more than 300 meals were provided at the Oroville Nazarene Church.
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Patch Editor Sue Wood contributed to this report.
Photo: Flames consume a home as the Camp Fire tears through Paradise, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. A California fire official says a fast-moving wildfire in Northern California has destroyed structures and injured civilians. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)