Park Fire

The Park Fire was a large and destructive wildfire in Northern California's Butte and Tehama counties. It ignited on July 24, 2024 in an alleged act of arson in the city of Chico's Bidwell Park in Butte County. Defying initial fire suppression efforts, the Park Fire grew rapidly over the following days, burning into the Ishi Wilderness and the Lassen National Forest. Thousands of people in foothill communities evacuated, Lassen Volcanic National Park closed to the public for three weeks, and hundreds of buildings were destroyed. The fire burned a total of 429,603 acres (173,854 hectares) before being fully contained on September 26, 2024. Fire suppression operations cost $351 million. The Park Fire became the largest wildfire of California's 2024 wildfire season, the fourth largest in California history, the second largest single wildfire (as compared to a wildfire complex, with multiple fires), and the largest fire ever caused by arson in the state.