Fire crews in California are continuing to work to maintain progress against the Park Fire, the largest wildfire in the state this year, as reported by AP News.
The fire started last week in Butte County and has since spread to neighboring areas, burning through rugged terrain and dense vegetation.
As of Tuesday, containment was at 14%, and evacuation orders in some communities were lifted.
However, the fire continues to threaten additional counties, and warmer temperatures are expected later this week.
Mark Brunton, an operations section chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, noted: “That’s going to be a continued challenge for us moving forward over the next couple of days.”
Cooler weather has recently aided firefighting efforts, allowing some residents to return home.
In Forest Ranch, a community affected by the fire, Christopher and Anita Angeloni were among those who returned to find their home intact.
Christopher Angeloni shared his relief: “We were prepared to possibly lose everything.”
Others were not as fortunate. In Cohasset, Ron Ward stayed behind to defend his property despite evacuation orders.
He witnessed flames approaching his ranch, but his sprinklers helped protect his home.
Ward said: “It hit our sprinklers and kind of died down and then went around our property and missed, missed all of our structures.”
The Park Fire is one of over 100 large active wildfires currently burning across the United States.
It has already scorched nearly 600 square miles and destroyed nearly 200 structures.
The fire was allegedly started by a man who pushed a burning car down a ravine, leading to his arrest on arson charges.
Wildfires have also had a broader impact on solar power generation in California.
Thick smoke from the fires has reduced solar power output, coinciding with peak power demand due to summer heat.
As reported by Reuters, solar output dipped significantly in mid-July but has since rebounded as some smoke cleared.
Wildfires have significantly affected solar power generation in California, the largest solar producer in the U.S.
The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) network saw a substantial dip in solar power output in mid-July due to thick smoke from the wildfires.
For the first half of 2024, solar generation was 28% higher than the same period in 2023, thanks to extensive solar capacity expansions.
However, during the wildfire peak, solar output fell below year-earlier levels.
CAISO’s solar generation averaged around 8,200 megawatt hours (MWh) per day in early July but dropped to approximately 6,350 MWh from July 12 to July 15 due to the haze, marking a 23% decrease from the earlier average.
To compensate for the reduced solar power, CAISO increased natural gas-fired generation by around 10% during the period of reduced solar output.
This reliance on fossil fuels to fill the gap highlights the challenges posed by wildfires to clean energy initiatives and the potential for increased air pollution.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is set to visit affected areas, including the historic town of Havilah, largely destroyed by the Borel Fire in the Sequoia National Forest.
Newsom thanked Texas Governor Gregg Abbott for sending fire engines to assist in combating the fires.
U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell highlighted the increased wildfire risks faced by many Americans due to the intersection of human activities and wildland vegetation.
“We question living here for sure,” said Ward of Cohasset, reflecting on the ongoing threats to his property.
