Growing Wildfires Force 30,000 to Evacuate in Northern California as Extreme Temperatures Worsen Conditions

Nearly 30,000 people have been evacuated in Northern California due to growing wildfires during a heatwave. The Thompson fire ignited in Oroville, roughly 70 miles north of Sacramento and 20 miles from Paradise, the site of the deadly 2018 Camp Fire. Temperatures are expected to reach 118°F in some areas through early next week, which only amplifies the dangerous fire conditions. A CalFire spokesman said that despite lighter winds halting the fire's growth, intense heat expected to reach 110F remained a major challenge. Burned areas in northern and central California during the summer increased fivefold from 1996 to 2021 compared to the previous 24 years, a rise scientists attribute to human-caught climate change.