gg777 Park Fire Balloons in California as Blazes Spread Across the West

A raging wildfire in Northern California known as the Park fire has ballooned to more than 120gg777,000 acres, quickly becoming the largest in the state so far this year, as scores more fires burning along the West Coast signaled an early start to what could be a devastating fire season.

The authorities said the fire, burning near the college town of Chico, north of Sacramento, is believed to have been sparked by a man accused of pushing a burning car into a gully Wednesday afternoon, sending it 60 feet down an embankment.

The man, Ronnie Dean Stout, a 42-year-old Chico resident, was arrested after witnesses said they saw him push the car down into the gully and then calmly leave the area, apparently trying to blend into a crowd of people fleeing the rapidly growing flames, according to the Butte County District Attorney’s Office.

The Park fire was one of scores burning in the western United States, creating smoky skies that reached all the way to the East Coast.

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“Unfortunately, we’ve gotten off to a running start here in Northern California,” said Dan Collins, a fire captain and spokesman for the Cal Fire unit in Butte County. “We’re prepared to fight the fight.”

On Wednesday, after the Park fire began growing rapidly, local fire officials sent out a call for help. Mr. Collins said hundreds of firefighters were battling the blaze, with many more driving in from around the state. Aircraft were also being used to fight the fire.

Fires Burning Burned Air quality Good Hazardous N/A Park

Active 42 days Updated September 4

430,000 acres 99% contained +12 acres/past day

Track all the major fires here › By The New York Times Base map from Mapbox and OpenStreetMap

Maps: Tracking Air Quality and Smoke From Wildfires

See maps of where smoke is traveling and how harmful the air has become.

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