Fourth of July Heatwave Ignites Wildfires in California, Threatening Homes and Forcing Evacuations

Amid scorching temperatures on the Fourth of July, wildfires raged across California, driven by dangerously hot weather and a heat wave that is set to break records. The raging fires have triggered evacuations and power outages, with residents forced to flee their homes.

The French fire, which started on Thursday in Mariposa County, California, has burned through 908 acres and was 20% contained by Friday night, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Residents of Mariposa were allowed to return home by Friday evening, although evacuation warnings and orders remained in place for other areas. Footage captured in the area and shared on social media showed the sky illuminated bright orange by massive flames and billowing smoke clouds. Additionally, a video depicted a plane dropping fire retardant over a forested area near Mariposa on Thursday, while around 3,400 energy customers were left without power on Friday evening in Mariposa County.

Thompson Fire in Northern California

In Northern California, the Thompson Fire continues to burn in Butte County, having scorched almost 3,800 acres and reached 55% containment as of Friday night. The fire, which broke out on Tuesday in Oroville, 65 miles north of Sacramento, forced thousands of people to evacuate. However, the “vast majority” of the 17,000 individuals under evacuation orders or warnings were able to return to their homes by Thursday, stated Kristi Olio, public information officer for Butte County. NBC News reported a harrowing account from Lynette Bailey, who described the panic of evacuating her 90-year-old father to a nearby shelter. Bailey expressed her concern for her dog as there were no shelter places left, stating that she had to spend the last two days outside in the sweltering 108-degree heat.

Impact of the Wildfires

Many Fourth of July celebrations were canceled across California as temperatures soared past 100 degrees, with some areas reaching 110 degrees. As a consequence of the raging fires, around 3,400 energy customers were left without power on Friday evening in Mariposa County. The fires have also caused significant disruption and distress to residents, with evacuations and sheltering challenges.

Arrest Related to Fire Incidents

Cal Fire and Butte County Fire Department announced on Thursday that a 61-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday afternoon and accused of starting a backfire, a small controlled blaze designed to contain a larger one, which was extinguished by firefighters. The individual was observed setting a backfire on a property located off Oro Quincy Highway and admitted to starting the fire with a propane torch. He was subsequently jailed on a felony charge of unlawfully causing a fire to wildland, according to authorities.