NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — A fire that began Wednesday afternoon in Chico’s Bidwell Park has burned thousands of acres and prompted calls for evacuations in Butte and Tehama counties.

The Park fire began just before 3 p.m. Wednesday off Upper Park Road in Upper Bidwell Park, east of Chico, and has burned north toward Cohasset and Richardson Springs.

By Wednesday night, Cal Fire said the Park fire had burned 6,465 acres, with containment at 3%.

Cal Fire said the incident is under unified command with the city of Chico Fire Department as this incident started in Bidwell Park, a “mutual threat zone” area of Butte County.

Officials said the fire is well established, with fire personnel focusing on evacuations and structure defense while concurrently building direct containment lines utilizing bulldozers, fire crews and fire engines.

More resources have been ordered and are inbound from various areas throughout Northern California.

As of Thursday night, resources assigned included 216 personnel, five helicopters — including three that were working overnight — as well as 24 engines, eight dozers, six water tenders, six crews and 17 other assigned resources.

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