Thompson Fire in Butte County Forces Evacuations Near Oroville

A wildfire still burning in Butte County has led to thousands of evacuations, multiple firefighter injuries and the destruction of multiple buildings, officials said Wednesday. The Thompson Fire started around 11 a.m. on July 2 near Cherokee and Thompson Flat Cemetery Roads. Flames spread and evacuation orders expanded, including parts of the city of Oroville. City officials declared a local emergency over the fire Tuesday night. Read the official proclamation here. After the emergency was declared, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California had secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant to help Butte County fight the Thompson Fire. Newsom also declared a state of emergency for the Thompson Fire Wednesday morning. “We are using all available resources to fight this fire and continue to work closely with our local and federal partners to support impacted communities,” a statement from Newsom’s office said. “As we enter some of the most challenging months of the wildfire season, the state is better prepared than ever to protect at-risk communities with new tools, technology and resources.” Oroville’s Fourth of July fireworks event has been canceled and the Lake Oroville Recreation Area will remain closed until at least Friday. The city has issued a temporary ban on the use of safe and healthy fireworks. Thompson Fire acres burned, containment, injuries and damageAs of 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Cal Fire said the fire had burned 3,568 acres. That was up from just over 3,000 acres earlier in the morning and 2,000 acres as of Tuesday afternoon. NBC News reported that eight firefighters have been injured so far while battling the blaze. Cal Fire said a total of 1,438 emergency responders are battling the blaze. The fire has destroyed at least four buildings and 12,000 structures are still threatened. KCRA 3 reporter Carolina Estrada was in the Oroville area around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday when she saw multiple homes destroyed by fire on Bessie Lane. Firefighters also have not been able to establish containment lines around the fire area. Containment is not used to measure how much of a wildfire has been extinguished. Instead, it measures how much of a perimeter has been set up around the fire to prevent the flames from spreading. AlertCalifornia cameras show a large plume of smoke has been visible for hours since it first appeared around 11 a.m. July 2. Heather Waldman, a KCRA 3 meteorologist, said north winds are pushing the smoke south into the valley. Thompson Fire evacuations, shelter information, road closures and mapAbout 28,000 residents were under evacuation orders as of 7:37 a.m. Wednesday. The orders are in effect for parts of the communities of Oroville, Cherokee, Oroville Northeast, Kelly Ridge and Hurleton. You are required by law to leave immediately under evacuation orders due to the threat to safety. The California Department of Water Resources said several State Water Project facilities are under evacuation orders, including the Hyatt Powerplant facility, the Oroville Field Division office on Glen Drive and the Lake Oroville Visitor Center. Personnel from those facilities have been evacuated to the Thermalito Pumping-Generating Plant. DWR added that the Oroville Dam is not at risk. Evacuation warnings are also in effect. You are not required to leave when warnings are issued, but are encouraged to do so if conditions become dangerous. Several evacuation orders were downgraded to warnings on Wednesday. Below is a map of evacuations. App users, click here if you are unable to see the map. The Oroville Church of the Nazarene at 2238 Monte Vista Ave. and the Gridley Fairgrounds at 199 E Hazel St. are available as shelters, according to Butte County. State Route 162 in Oroville is closed at Kelly Ridge Road due to the fire, according to Caltrans. As of 4 p.m., there is no estimated reopening time. The Salvation Army said it will be serving meals and offering spiritual services to first responders and those affected by the Thompson Fire. A list of locations can be found here . This fire is burning amid triple-digit temperatures and north winds that increase the risk of wildfires spreading quickly. KCRA 3 has issued an Alert Day for Tuesday due to those dangerous conditions. The National Weather Service also had a red flag warning, which is issued when conditions are favorable for a wildfire to spread, in effect at the time the fire started. | MORE | A 2024 Guide to Preparing for California WildfiresHere are key websites that are important for all California residents during the wildfire season.Cal Fire Wildfire Incidents: Cal Fire tracks its wildfire incidents here. You can sign up here to receive text messages with Cal Fire updates about wildfires happening near your zip code.Wildfires on Federal Lands: Federal wildfire incidents are tracked here.Power Outage Preparation: Ready.gov explains how to prepare for a power outage and what to do when you return from a power outage here. 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