A firefighter sprays water on a burning home in Chico, California, on July 25.

Shutterstock.com (background); Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images (Chico)

Facing the Flames

This summer, firefighters in California battled one of the biggest blazes in state history.

As You Read, Think About: What are some of the challenges of fighting wildfires?

The call came in just before 3 p.m. on July 24. A fire had started in a park in Chico, California. Firefighters were there within minutes. The fire had already crossed a road and was burning trees in its path.  

Over the next few hours, the fire exploded in size. By 3 a.m., it had burned an area the size of about 34,000 football fields.

“I’ve never seen a fire grow so fast in my career,” says Chief Garrett Sjolund. He has worked for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, for more than 25 years.

Firefighters arrived from across the state. More than 6,000 people worked to contain the blaze, which was called the Park Fire. It would become the fourth largest wildfire in California state history. 

It wasn’t the only big blaze in California, or the United States, this year. In late February, Texas had its biggest wildfire on record. That fire spread into Oklahoma. By late August, fires had already burned more land in Oregon than in any previous year.

Wildfires Around the World
See how wildfires start and quickly spread.

Burning Up

Source: Cal Fire (as of September 13, 2024); Jim McMahon/Mapman®

It takes several factors to create a wildfire. Dry, hot weather is often one of them. In July, much of the western U.S. suffered through a heat wave. On the day the Park Fire began, the temperature in Chico soared above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The extreme heat, along with a lack of moisture in the air, caused grasses and trees to dry out. Dead vegetation is perfect fuel for wildfires because it burns easily.

Then all it takes is a spark. Fires can start naturally from lightning. But about 90 percent of wildfires are started by people. The Park Fire began when someone pushed a burning car into a ditch. (He was arrested.) Strong winds led the blaze to spread out of control.  

By the next morning, the fire was so bad that firefighters couldn’t safely battle it directly.

“When you’ve got a big wall of fire coming at you, there’s nothing a couple of fire engines are going to do to stop it,” says Captain Dan Collins of Cal Fire. 

As the fast-moving flames threatened nearby towns, firefighters shifted their focus to protecting people and homes. The Park Fire destroyed about 700 houses and other structures. Fortunately, no one was injured.

Battling Blazes

Like many wildfires, the Park Fire mostly burned through areas with few roads. Firefighters often had to hike up steep, rocky hills in the blazing heat. And they did it while wearing about 15 pounds of protective gear and carrying hoses and other equipment. Many of the firefighters worked 48-hour shifts. 

The Park Fire was contained by mid-September. But three new wildfires were burning in southern California. For firefighters, the battle rages on.  

“It’s all about staying positive, putting your head down, and getting the job done,” Collins explains. 

How to Fight a Wildfire

Battling a wildfire is different from fighting a fire in a home or a building. Wildfires often start in areas of the forest that are hard to reach. Putting out a wildfire requires special equipment and many teams working together.

Nic Coury/AP Images

  • Planes or helicopters drop water or chemicals to slow the spread of a blaze. 
  • Fire engine teams travel to the edges of a fire. They attack the flames with water from hoses.
  • Bulldozer teams clear away bushes and dead trees. This starves the wildfire and can stop it from spreading.
  • Ground crews dig trenches. They also use chain saws, rakes, and other tools to clear vegetation that might fuel a fire. These firefighters often go into areas that big trucks can’t get to.

David McNew/Getty Images

1. What are some reasons the Park Fire was hard to contain?

2. Based on the article, what are two qualities a person should have to work on a wildfire crew? Explain.

3. Based on the sidebar, “How to Fight a Wildfire,” describe three tools firefighters use to battle wildfires.

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