Firefighters and support crews from throughout the state have been attacking the blaze non-stop, with heavy aerial support to knock the fire down and prevent it from taking communities. Photo courtesy of CAL FIRE

BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MPG) - A week after the Park Fire started in upper Bidwell Park, skies in Northern California are still filled with smoke as the massive wildfire continues to burn.

As of 10:30 a.m. July 31, the Park Fire had burned a total of  389,791 acres throughout Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehema counties, destroying a reported 358 structures, damaging 21 structures and threatening 8,200 structures.

Firefighters and support crews from throughout the state have been attacking the blaze non-stop, with heavy aerial support to knock the fire down and prevent it from taking communities. Photo courtesy of CAL FIRE

Evacuation orders saw thousands of residents ordered to leave their homes, with the fire coming too close for comfort to an already traumatized Paradise. Flames threatened Magalia and Forrest Ranch, with some areas of Cohasset run over by flames.

Firefighters and support crews from throughout the state have been attacking the blaze non-stop, with heavy aerial support to knock the fire down and prevent it from taking communities.

Firefighters and support crews from throughout the state have been attacking the blaze non-stop, with heavy aerial support to knock the fire down and prevent it from taking communities. Photo courtesy of CAL FIRE

CAL FIRE’s Situation Summary, as of July 31, states that the fires continue to burn actively in multiple areas and around the perimeter. The public can continue to expect widespread smoke.

Also mentioned were potential weather conditions toward the end of this week that could continue to impact the fire and allow for “increased fire activity and extreme fire behavior.”

CAL FIRE reports that “fire crews are providing structure defense where needed. They are attempting to complete containment lines in some areas and gain a stronghold in the challenging topography while also engaging in mop-up where applicable.”

Although the Butte County Sheriffs Office has lifted evacuation orders for Paradise, Magalia and other areas, portions of the county are still under evacuation orders. Officials remain vigilant about fire conditions and ready to reinstate orders if necessary.

As of press time, the Park Fire is the fifth largest wildfire in the State of California, falling short of surpassing the SCU Lighting Complex by about 10,000 acres. The largest fire in California history is the August Complex, which burned 1,032,648 acres.

For more information on the Park Fire, including incident reports, photos and videos, visit https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024/7/24/park-fire.