Natural Disasters

The Butte County Search and Rescue Team is currently two years into their five-year plan to fundraise $1.5 million. The goal is to get a new headquarters. Public Information Officer Kevin Soukup talks about why a new facility is needed.

The Park Fire continues to burn actively on its eastern perimeter in the Mill Creek drainage. Cal Fire said the fire was expected to remain active last night due to high temperatures, and no humidity recovery. Also, organizations in the North State are working to find housing for those experiencing homelessness. As the region now recovers from the Park Fire, True North Housing Alliance is trying to help, and residents impacted by the fire visit North Valley Plaza in Chico to connect with county services and nonprofits.

Fifteen of about 60 people who’ve been staying at the city of Chico’s alternative campsite on Eaton and Cohasset roads will be able to return after an “encampment cleanup” conducted by the city. Also, the Park Fire is fairly calm in most areas, but is making a hard push in the Mill Creek drainage area of Tehama County, and the first human case of West Nile Virus this season has been detected in Butte County.

An assistance center for survivors of the Park Fire is opening in Chico today. It’s located in the North Valley Plaza in the building that was formerly the 99 Cents Only store. Those affected by the fire can find resources at the center and talk to county and state officials. Also, the Park Fire has now reached more than 400,000 acres in size, and Cal Fire says the damage assessment for the fire is 100% complete.

The City of Chico has a prescribed burning plan that includes parts of Bidwell Park. Some question whether the Park Fire might not have grown so intense or spread as far if there’d been a prescribed burn near the gully where it started. Also, evacuees have been telling NSPR about their experiences leaving and what they returned home to in the wake of the fire. And a changing weather pattern near the fire is concerning officials. As dry winds and triple digits return to the North State, experts are cautioning the region to be prepared for new growth.

Butte County setting up a center in Chico where residents who’ve been affected by the fire can get resources and talk with officials.

Firefighters are working to mop up hotspots in communities, but Butte County’s fire chief says they don’t always get them all. He’s warning residents to be cautious when repopulating areas the fire burned through. Also, Tehama County’s sheriff says he’s taking a ‘no nonsense stance’ on anyone going behind fire lines, and when a wildfire superheats PVC pipes they can release the carcinogenic chemical benzine into the water supply. Following the Park Fire, many in Forest Ranch have had their water disconnected so officials can test the water for the chemical.

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced insurance protections for those impacted by the Park Fire. He also reminded residents about common aid available through their insurance policies. Also, we get an update on Forest Ranch where residents have been returning home after being evacuated, and officials say they’re opening a local assistance center next week for those impacted by the fire.

A new channel has been dug off the Sacramento River south of Redding to create a year-round spawning habitat for critically endangered chinook salmon. Also, State Farm has announced it will no longer accept new applications for home insurance in California due to wildfires, and Cal Fire will perform prescribed burns in Oroville and Thermalito as early as this week.

Every Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m., Dr. Phuong Luu eagerly checks her email. The Yuba-Sutter health officer is waiting to see how many COVID-19 vaccine doses…