Park Fire now 5th largest in California history; dramatic video shows intense fight

Park Fire grows to over 370,000 acres

California's Park Fire, now one of the largest wildfires in the state’s history, was sparked less than a week ago by a burning car pushed into a Northern California gully.

BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. - The Park Fire, burning outside the city of Chico, is now the fifth-largest wildfire in California’s history.

As of Tuesday, the fire had burned more than 383,000 acres and is about 14% contained.

The wildfire has so far destroyed nearly 200 structures, including homes and businesses. Several other structures were also damaged.

The fire is impacting thousands of residents in four California counties – Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama. Multiple evacuation orders were issued.

How did the fire start?

The fire sparked July 24 in Bidwell Park after a man allegedly pushed a burning car down an embankment. According to Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey, the car rolled 60 feet downhill, where it eventually burned up, spreading flames into the nearby brush.

The arsonist, 42-year-old Ronnie Dean Stout II, appeared in court Monday and was charged with arson. If found guilty, Stout who has a prior criminal record, could face 25 years to life.

Park Fire arsonist could face life sentence

The man allegedly responsible for sparking the massive Park Fire, Ronnie Dean Stout II, could face 25 years to life if convicted.

"It's crucial to recognize that 95% of wildfires are caused by human activity. Therefore, taking proper precautions to prevent wildfires is everyone's responsibility. Simple actions such as following fire safety guidelines and avoiding activities that can spark fires are vital in reducing the risk," Cal Fire wrote in a statement.

5th largest fire in state history

In terms of acreage, the Park Fire is now the 5th largest in California history, Cal Fire said Tuesday.

Officials said the perimeter of the fire is 260 miles – which is more than three times the surface area of Lake Tahoe.

The largest fire in state history is the August Complex Fire which burned 1,032,648 acres across Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National Forests. The August Complex was ignited by lightning on August 16 and 17, 2020, according to the US Forest Service.

Credit via Cal Fire

The Park Fire could easily climb to the 4th spot, beating the SCU Lightning Complex Fire that burned 396,625 acres in August 2020.

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Helping the firefight

More than 5,300 firefighters from across the state are working tirelessly to extinguish the blaze. Video posted by Cal Fire shows just how intense the fight is as flames continue to spread just feet from where they are standing.

On Monday, Cal Fire sent an additional engine strike team to help.

"We have sent 10 engines, dozers, hand crews, a helicopter and 15 other personnel to support operations," they wrote on X.

Full containment is not expected till mid-August.

FOX Weather contributed to this report