Video: Thompson Fire in California forces thousands to evacuate
An evacuation order has been issued for 13,000 residents in Oroville, California, due to a wildfire that has spread to residential areas.
The Thompson Fire ignited around 11 a.m. Pacific time on Tuesday, per Butte County Fire Department. It has burned more than 3,000 acres and is 0% contained.
“The fire has jumped the diversion pool on the Feather River and is making runs toward Olive Highway in the Kelly Ridge area,” the Butte County Fire Department said.
About 400 fire personnel are working to get the fire under control. Six helicopters and six air tankers are being utilized.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
CBS News Sacramento captured video of the fire burning down homes as fire crews worked to suppress it. Huge plumes of smoke can be seen filling the sky from the Oroville Dam.
The number of homes affected remains unclear. No injuries have been reported.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state secured aid through a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide local, state, and tribal agencies with 75% reimbursement of their eligible fire suppression costs, per KRCR.
The Thompson Fire fire comes amid a heat wave in the West. High temperatures contribute to the prevalence of wildfires by drying vegetation.
As previously reported by the Deseret News, Utah has also been experiencing a high number of wildfires this year, similar to the record-breaking year of 2020.
There have been 401 wildfires in Utah this year, burning 5,303 acres, according to Utah Fire Info. Of these, 290 were human-caused.
“We are very concerned this year that we have a lot of potential for a very busy fire season,” Ben Newburn, the U.S. Forest Service’s Intermountain Region fire manager, told KSL-TV.
