Ronnie Dean Stout II was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of starting a wildfire that forced thousands to flee their homes.
As reported by Reuters, Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey announced that Stout was jailed without bond after being identified as the person seen pushing a flaming car into a gully on Wednesday afternoon.
Details of the Fire
The vehicle sparked the Park Fire, which quickly grew from about 1,400 acres (567 hectares) on Wednesday near Chico, California, to approximately 125,000 acres by Thursday afternoon.
This fire, now the largest in California this year, is located about 80 miles (130 km) north of Sacramento.
The 42-year-old suspect was detained by arson investigators from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) along with local police.
Stout’s arraignment is set for Monday, though the specific arson charges he might face have not yet been disclosed.
As of Thursday afternoon, the Park Fire was only 3 percent contained. Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries.
More than 4,000 people were evacuated from Butte County and the city of Chico due to the fast-moving blaze, according to Megan McMann, a spokesperson for the Butte County Sheriff's Office.
Other Major Fires
In addition to the Park Fire, the largest active wildfire in the United States, the Durkee Fire in Oregon, has burned at least 268,000 acres.
It has threatened multiple small towns, scorched ranch land, and killed hundreds of cattle.
The Durkee Fire, about 100 miles northwest of Boise, Idaho, was 20 percent contained by Thursday afternoon, but high winds and lightning strikes posed ongoing challenges.
High winds with gusts of up to 60 mph (97 kph) and lightning strikes have worsened fire conditions. There is no rain forecasted for the region, further complicating firefighting efforts.
Smoke from fires in western Canada and the Pacific Northwest has led to hazy skies and unhealthy air quality from the Rocky Mountains to Chicago. Denver reported the worst air quality in the U.S. and ranked 22nd worst in the world according to IQAir.
The combination of dry conditions, high winds, and lightning has created a perfect storm for wildfires, making firefighting efforts extremely difficult.
Scientists and environmental advocates have long called for action to address the root causes of climate change, which are contributing to the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires.
