Dramatic photos of California’s Park Fire show heroic firefighters risking lives to extinguish historic blaze

CHICO, Calif. – Thousands of firefighters have descended upon Northern California to get a handle on the historic Park Fire burning outside Chico, and dramatic images released by CAL Fire show the heroic actions of first responders putting their lives on the line to protect life and property.

As of Sunday, the Park Fire had burned more than 353,000 acres, making it the seventh-worst fire in California state history in terms of acreage burned.

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Since the Park Fire broke out last week, firefighters from near and far have arrived in the area. They have been relentlessly building containment lines and blasting the blaze with water and fire retardant from the ground and the air.

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Photos released by CAL Fire show intense flames burning up hills and across the land, destroying plants and other vegetation as the wildfire grew in size.

The photos give perspective on how intense the fire is, with flames shooting well above the heads of firefighters on the ground.

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Other images show firefighters racing to the front lines of the fire with hoses in hand, spraying the flames with water in hopes that the moisture and saturation would help slow the spread or put the fire out completely.

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Another ominous photo shows smoke filling the air as the Park Fire scorches the landscape, but an airplane is seen emerging while dropping fire retardant on the flames to help try and prevent the fire from advancing farther.

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Now photos are starting to emerge and show the devastation left behind after the Park Fire burned hundreds of thousands of acres of land.

One photo shows what’s left of a vehicle destroyed by the flames in the Paynes Creek area of Tehama County in California on Saturday.

So far, dozens of structures have been damaged or destroyed by the Park Fire. No deaths have been reported, but some people have received minor injuries.

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Another somber image shows the burned-out remains of a home near Payne Creek, with only a stove remaining.

Thousands of residents in portions of four California counties—Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama—have been told to flee their homes as the flames grow closer.

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However, CAL Fire said several roads are being closed across the region, which may impact potential evacuation routes.

Residents are being urged to monitor conditions closely and monitor local reports to be prepared to leave the area immediately if necessary.