Six Years After Paradise, California Wildfire, New Blaze Erupts Nearby
A rapidly expanding fire is also burning in central Oregon, while officials in New Mexico are making progress against wildfires that have resulted in two deaths and displaced thousands of residents.
Firefighters were working Wednesday to contain a blaze that prompted evacuations in a rural Northern California town, near the area decimated by the state’s deadliest wildfire six years ago. The Apache Fire, which ignited on Monday, has burned 691 acres and was 47% contained by Wednesday morning, according to Cal Fire. Thanks to improved weather conditions on Tuesday, firefighters made significant progress, allowing residents to return to their homes in Palermo, about 30 miles from Paradise, where the 2018 Camp Fire killed 85 people and destroyed 14,000 homes.
The Apache Fire has destroyed at least two structures and caused one injury. Cal Fire and the Butte County Fire Department cautioned residents to be mindful of fire personnel and potential hazards in the area.
Meanwhile, crews in New Mexico and Oregon were battling their own blazes. In southern New Mexico, two fires that have been burning for over a week continue to challenge firefighters. The fires have killed two people and displaced thousands on Mescalero Tribal land and in the Ruidoso area, about two hours from Albuquerque. The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for starting the fires.
The South Fork Fire had burned 17,569 acres and was 64% contained, while the Salt Fire had burned 7,939 acres and was 55% contained as of early Wednesday. Evacuation orders were lifted, allowing residents to return home, though crews were still combating flames along Highway 70. Officials urged residents near Ruidoso to avoid setting off fireworks this Fourth of July to prevent new fires in the dry conditions.
In central Oregon, a fast-growing fire that started on Tuesday had burned over 2,400 acres by Wednesday morning, up from 1,700 acres the previous evening. The Darlene 3 Fire, which prompted evacuations and closed campgrounds, was 30% contained overnight. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek invoked the state’s Emergency Conflagration Act to mobilize resources statewide to fight the fire, according to Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office shared photos and videos on social media showing a massive plume of dark smoke over homes and forests. “This fire has quickly grown within the last few hours, pushed by gusty winds and high fire conditions,” Ruiz-Temple said Tuesday. “As we enter the hot and dry summer months, I am asking Oregonians to do everything they can to prevent wildfires.”
Overall, firefighters in multiple states are grappling with significant blazes, working tirelessly to contain the flames, protect lives and property, and manage evacuation and return efforts amid challenging weather conditions and dry landscapes.