Park Fire Update: Thursday, September 5, 2024

According to a statement from the Southwest Complex Incident Management Team 2, the Park Fire has burned 429, 603 acres and is 99 percent contained.

The team repots 743 personnel battling the blaze (one helicopter, 14 crews, 13 engines, 15 dozers, 31 water tenders, six masticators, seven chippers, 22 excavators, nine feller bunchers, 12 skidsteers, three log loaders, one processor, one backhoe and five road graders).

Current situation
During fire suppression, the size, weight and quantity of vehicles traveling forest roads can cause damage to the road surface. Part of the repair process involves resurfacing these roads so they do not pose a risk to people using them when the forest closure is lifted.

The roads group is also improving Ponderosa Way and adjacent roads to facilitate the movement of mechanical harvesting equipment that is part of the hazard-tree group. That group is using equipment and tree-felling crews to cut dead trees along roadsides, and they are either chipping, lopping and scattering branches; creating piles to be burned later; or decking logs to remove heavy fuels. View photos and videos of firefighters and equipment doing repair work on the Lassen National Forest Facebook page: facebook.com/LassenNF.

Weather and fire safety
Temperatures will continue to rise into the weekend. A heat advisory below 3,500 feet exists through Friday. No significant precipitation is forecast, and humidity remains extremely low.

Isolated stump holes, logs and snags in the fire boundary will continue to produce visible smoke until a season-ending weather event. This minimal smoldering does not pose a threat to containment lines. A local fire crew is assigned to the incident and specifically tasked with locating and extinguishing isolated hotspots.

Outside the fire perimeter, fuel load, including grass, brush and timber, is very dry and ready to burn. Any new fires would be difficult to control. Continue to be diligent as you work and recreate outside, and be aware of current fire restrictions.

Fire restrictions
Know before you go. Fire restrictions are in effect within the Lassen National Forest. For details, view Forest Order No. 06-24-04 here: fs.usda.gov/alerts/lassen/alerts-notices. Find links to other land management agencies’ fire restrictions in the Park Fire Information Linktree.

Forest closure
Lassen National Forest lands, roads and trails near the fire are temporarily closed. Individuals are responsible for knowing where they are in relation to the closure area. Keep our firefighters and yourselves safe by abiding by the closure order. If you are recreating on your public lands, be prepared and view Forest Order No. 06-24-07 and map here: fs.usda.gov/alerts/lassen/alerts-notices.

Park Fire Information (Southwest CIMT 2) 530) 414-9298, 2024.park@firenet.gov.
Park Fire Information (CalFire): (530) 529-9233
Park Fire Linktree (fire information website links): linktr.ee/park_fire.

Public information officers
Southwest Complex Incident Management Team 2
Park Fire information (federal): (530) 414-9298, 8 a.m.–8 p.m., 2024.park@firenet.gov,inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/calnf-park-fire.
Park Fire Information (state): (530) 529-9233, fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024/7/24/park-fire.

CalFire Park Fire update — 6:50 p.m. Sept. 4
According to CalFire, the Park Fire has blackened 429,503 acres, and is now 99 percent contained.

Status update
The Park Fire is being managed under the CalFire Butte Unit, the CalFire Tehama-Glenn Unit, USFS Southwest Incident Management Team 2 and the Lassen National Forest.

State Responsibility Areas of the incident is being managed by the local CalFire units. USFS Southwest Incident Management Team 2 and Lassen National Forest are in command of the Federal Responsibility Areas within the incident.Observed fire behavior consisted of smoldering pockets of heat within dozer berms and dozer piles which were created during active fire suppression. As dean up, line rehabilitation, and line strengthening occurs, these pockets are discovered and mitigated.

The dominant weather pattern is shifting from cooler and windy to a warming trend with heat advisories posted for lower elevation areas
in, and around the fire area. High temperatures are expected to return to more than 100 degrees within a few days and towards the southern extent of the fire which increases stress on firefighters and equipment.