California’s Park Fire burns nearly 125,000 acres in 30 hours as Oregon firefighters battle nation’s largest active fire

Hot and dry weather is fueling wildfire activity in the Western United States and Canada, with fires damaging homes, causing injuries and forcing evacuations. The largest active wildfire in the US has scorched more than 280,000 acres in eastern Oregon and another blaze has exploded to nearly 125,000 acres in California.

Hot and dry weather is fueling wildfire activity in the Western United States and Canada, with fires damaging homes, causing injuries and forcing evacuations. The largest active wildfire in the US has scorched more than 280,000 acres in eastern Oregon and another blaze has exploded to nearly 125,000 acres in California. Here’s the latest: • Man accused of starting California wildfire is arrested: The Park Fire, the largest of 27 wildfires actively burning across California, has quickly burned an area larger than the size of Atlanta and is only 3% contained, according to Cal Fire. A suspect has been arrested on suspicion of pushing a burning car 60 feet into a gully, “spreading flames that caused the Park Fire,” authorities said. • Park Fire explodes in size: By Thursday morning, the wildfire had burned an average of nearly 50 football fields per minute since starting Wednesday afternoon. The blaze has forced mandatory evacuations in Butte County, where the state’s deadliest wildfire, the Camp Fire, killed more than 85 people and destroyed thousands of homes in 2018. Conditions around the Park Fire continue to be difficult for the 1,153 firefighters battling the flames as dry air, warm temperatures and gusty winds linger over the area Thursday. The area is under a red flag warning until Friday evening. • Firefighters battle massive Oregon fire: The Durkee Fire, which has burned an area larger than the city of Indianapolis, started on July 17 near the Oregon-Idaho state line. The lightning-sparked fire is the largest of 31 large wildfires currently burning across Oregon, which has been the hardest hit by fires in recent days. Amid high temperatures, extremely dry vegetation and strong winds, the fire has grown tens of thousands of acres and is 20% contained as of Thursday night, according to InciWeb. More than 500 firefighters and resources from 22 states are working to fight the fire, according to InciWeb. Over the weekend and earlier this week, the Durkee Fire exhibited extreme fire behavior, even creating its own weather in the form of pyrocumulus clouds. • Oregon wildfire destroys buildings: Three people were injured and two homes and 12 other structures were destroyed as the fire spread, according to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. Evacuations are still in effect in Baker County for areas around the Durkee Fire. Some communities do not have power, according to Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, who has deployed resources from the National Guard to assist. Dense smoke from the flames has also impeded traffic on Interstate 84, leading to periodic closure of the freeway. Wildfire smoke was spreading into Boise and beyond. Air quality alerts have been issued for parts of Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. • Wildfire engulfs tourist town in Canada: A fast-moving wildfire sent thousands of visitors and residents fleeing the town of Jasper in Alberta, where flames devastated up to half of the town’s structures. Officials say the losses are significant, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has deployed federal support to help battle the blaze.