Western wildfires latest: One dead in new Colorado blaze as containment expanded on huge California fire

(NEW YORK) — A wildfire that started Tuesday in Colorado has killed a person in their home, while California firefighters battling the largest active wildland blaze in the nation made significant progress on containing it but still have a long way to go before it is extinguished, authorities said.

As the Park Fire in Northern California has grown into the fifth largest wildfire in California history, firefighters were dealt a new challenge when another blaze erupted in Southern California and quickly blew up into a major conflagration, prompting mass evacuations, officials said.

The Stone Canyon Fire in Colorado

During a news conference Wednesday, Boulder County, Colorado, Sheriff Curtis Johnson said the remains of a person were recovered from a home in the area of the Stone Canyon Fire burning about 20 miles north of Boulder. But Johnson released few details about the circumstances of the death.

The Stone Canyon Fire burning west of Rabbit Mountain and the town of Lyons was first reported around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Johnson said. By Wednesday morning, the fire had grown to 1,320 acres and was 0% contained, according to the Boulder Office of Disaster Management.

The fire prompted evacuations in the fire zone, authorities said. At least five structures have been destroyed, according to authorities.

The Alexander Mountain Fire in Colorado

Colorado firefighters were also trying to get the upper hand on the Alexander Mountain Fire, which was first reported around 10:30 a.m. local time on Monday, according to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office. The fire burning in a remote mountainous area near Roosevelt National Park grew to 6,781 acres by Wednesday afternoon, fire officials said during a news conference.

The fire was 0% contained as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the sheriff’s office.

The Alexander Mountain Fire, which also prompted evacuations, is about eight miles from the Stone Canyon Fire, officials said.

“The good news for us is that we were able to grab resources from Larimer County. As soon as our fire kicked off, the Larimer sheriff was in contact with me, offered to send some of those air resources to this fire, tried to help us get it under control,” Johnson said. “So within an hour, we had a lot more support than we might on a normal initial fire because of the fire burning north of us.”

The Park Fire in Northern California

Firefighters battling the Park Fire in Northern California, the largest active fire in the nation, made significant progress overnight, increasing containment lines on the blaze from 12% on Tuesday to 18% on Wednesday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

As of Wednesday, the Park Fire, which officials said was deliberately started on July 24 and spread through Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama counties in Northern California, had grown to 389,791 acres — which sent it leapfrogging over the 2020 Creek Fire, which tore through Central California’s Sierra National Forest, to become the fifth largest wildfire in state history, officials said.

The Park Fire has destroyed 361 structures, including homes and commercial property, and damaged another 36 structures in a path of destruction that started in Bidwell Park near the city of Chico and spread about 90 miles north to the Lassen National Forest, according to Cal Fire.

More than 5,800 firefighters are fighting the Park Fire from the air and ground. At least 3,800 people have been forced to evacuate their homes, according to Cal Fire.

Meanwhile, the suspect arrested on suspicion of starting the Park Fire was formally arraigned on Monday. Ronnie Dean Stout II, 42, of Chico, was charged with felony arson with an enhancement of special circumstances due to prior convictions. His arraignment was continued to Thursday, when he is expected to enter a plea. Stout was ordered to be held without bail.

Stout was allegedly spotted just before 3 p.m. PT on July 24 pushing a burning car down a gully called “Alligator Hole” in Bidwell Park, near Chico, sparking the Park Fire, prosecutors said.

Weather conditions in the Chico area will be heating up in the coming days. The high temperatures in the area are forecast to climb into the upper 90s on Wednesday and reach triple digits by Thursday and into the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

The Nixon Fire in Southern California

California firefighters were confronting 20 active blazes on Wednesday, including seven that started on Monday and Tuesday. Among the biggest new fires is the Nixon Fire that ignited around 12:30 p.m. local time on Monday off Richard Nixon Boulevard in Riverside County, northeast of the town of Aguanga, according to Cal Fire.

As of Wednesday morning, the Nixon Fire had grown to 4,941 acres and was 5% contained, according to Cal Fire.

At least five structures in the fire zone were damaged or destroyed, but it was unclear if they were homes. More than 900 structures were being threatened by the fire, according to Cal Fire.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office issued mandatory evacuation orders for residents in the area.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

More than 700 fire personnel, including 44 fire engine crews, two helicopter crews and numerous firefighting air tankers, were battling the fire on Wednesday.

Smoke spreading across the Northwest

The fires in the West are spreading smoke across the Northwest.

By Wednesday afternoon, the smoke is expected to remain heavy in the Northern California region, but farther east, it will be pushed south.

Medium to heavy smoke is possible from Salt Lake City to Denver on Wednesday afternoon, while places farther north that have been under heavy smoke for days will finally get a break as they get rainfall and cooler temperatures.

Air quality alerts were issued for Boise, Idaho, and Denver due to the smoky conditions, officials said.

Red flag warnings signaling elevated fire danger were issued for at least Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado.